The Ice Bucket Challenge phenomenon. The numbers and how it started

It’s clogging our Facebook’s news feed every day. Million of families, friends and VIPs are challenging other people to do the same.

It’s the Ice Bucket Challenge phenomenon, seeing people as David Beckham, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and many other throwing a bucket of ice water in their head. 

Yes, probably some people are doing it without even know the reason or just because it’s funny and other people are doing the same. This is pretty common for a viral chain like this. But how this phenomenon started?

Everything began on 2013 when a promising baseball player, Pete Frates, started feeling muscular cramps and pain. He tried to integrate potassium in its diet thinking the main problem was related to a muscle strain. Despite it the pain continued so Pete decided to google his symptoms and discovered that those pains lead to a terrible disease: ALS 

He was 27 yo when the illness was diagnosed and in a short period of time, Pete, was forced in a wheelchair. But he didn’t knocked out and started to spread the voice about his pain and find a way to fight it. 

On August 1st 2014 Pete was already unable to talk and to communicate and he use a computer controlled with the eyes. So, he decided to post a status on Facebook with a video and the song “Ice Ice Baby” just shaking his head and inviting other people to throw a ice bucket of on their head and give a donation. The viral phenomenon began. 

So I am nominating myself for the #icebucketchallenge cuz I can…ice water and ALS are a bad mix, so I got my friend Rob Van Winkle to help me out…

 

Below the official post..

After a short period of time his friends, athletes and stars started the Ice Bucket Challenge and the viral chain has brought a huge social wave and also a lot  of money in donations.

Over $50 million in donations (to date), just 1.7 million dollars in 2013, and a huge social echo. 2.2 millions mentions on Twitter, 15 million involved on Facebook, liking sharing or commenting about the Ice Bucket Challenge. Over 1.2 million the video posted on Facebook. And numbers are rising while I am writing this post… (facts by August 16th)

Pete, because of the great results reached, decided to celebrate in the Boston Red Sox stadium with all the team. For the first time he got a Ice Bucket on his self as well followed by the entire Red Sox team.

A great gesture to crown one of the most successful social media phenomenon of 2014.

Below a short video of Pete Frates’ story and his life today. Soon he’s going to be father and the hope to see his son face keeps him fighting against this horrible disease that, just in the States, counts over 30,000 sick.

-> ALSO SEE: HOW TO GET A VIRAL HIT WITH $150, THE STORY BEHIND DAVE CARROLL