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Augie Nieto
If you had the chance to meet Augie Nieto, you would never forget him. He was an indomitable force for personal achievement and overcoming adversity. As the visionary behind fitness giants such as Lifecycle, Life Fitness, and Octane Fitness, he was a true leader in the health and fitness industry. But in 2005, life threw him a curveball that even he could not catch. Augie was diagnosed with ALS, a ruthless disease that slowly and methodically stripped away his physical strength. But never his spirit.
When faced with the stark reality of his diagnosis, Augie immediately went to work, but quickly realized a disturbing truth. The fight against ALS was severely underfunded and under-researched. He set about to build a formidable team of friends, researchers, and medical professionals, Determined to shift the narrative, he co-founded Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS. The mission was simple but ambitious: to fund the most promising research to find a cure for ALS. To date, Augie’s Quest has raised more than $150 million for ALS research.
Augie’s Quest funding was critical in the research and development of AT-1501 which became tegoprubart, currently being developed by Eledon Pharmaceuticals.
By a cruel twist of fate, the man who had dedicated his life to enhancing physical strength faced a disease that robbed him of his own. Yet Augie harnessed his vast positive spirit, desire to find a cure, and business expertise to bring transformative change to the medical research landscape for ALS. In early 2023, he entrusted the leadership of Augie’s Quest to his beloved wife, Lynne. She took the mantle as Chairman, dedicating herself fervently to the cause of finding a cure, a poignant tribute to the love of her life.
“They may call it Lou Gehrig’s disease, but they will call it Augie’s Cure. And so, we fight on, inspired by Augie’s legacy.” – Chris Clawson
Augie died on February 24, 2023, but his quest for a cure for ALS lives on.
You can learn more about Augie’s journey, Augie’s Quest, and provide support for ALS research at www.augiesquest.org