Jon "Blazeman" Blais

In Ironman circles, the name Jon "Blazeman" Blais is well known. He never won the Ironman, but he won the hearts of people around the world. If you ever watch the 2005 Ironman, (we catch the reruns on "Universal Sports"), you will know why.

In 2005, Jon Blais was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. In October of 2005, he became the first person with ALS to complete an Ironman. He did so at the biggest Ironman of them all, Ironman Hawaii!

As "The Blazeman" finished the race in 16 hours, 28 minutes and 56 seconds, he "log-rolled" over the finish line. If you watch an Ironman race today, you will see many people do the same as they remember him and hope to raise awareness about ALS.

Sadly, Blais passed away on May 27, 2007. But, his spirit lives on through the Blazeman Foundation, that he started, as it raises money for the "war on ALS".