(AristoMedia) Ty Herndon has partnered with former NFL player Kevin Turner to raise awareness about ALS and its emerging connection to athletes exposed to repeated head trauma. Turner, an NFL fullback for eight years with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, was diagnosed in May 2010 with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. After meeting Herndon at an ALS benefit concert and hearing the Country singer's uplifting "Journey On" single, the two men discussed using the track as a signature song for The Kevin Turner Foundation. Although originally written as the title cut for his 2010 Journey On release, Herndon immediately recognized the connection between the song's message and Turner's condition.
"As an artist, you always dream of working on a project that makes a positive difference in the world," says Herndon. "However, I had no idea that working with Kevin Turner and his amazing family would make such a difference in myself and everyone involved in this very special project. Wow! It is my hope and prayer that this song and video will raise awareness about ALS to help The Kevin Turner Foundation reach its goal. And that goal is a cure."
Renowned directors Flick Wiltshire and Steven Goldmann (Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Trace Adkins) shot the music video for "Journey On" with Herndon and Turner at a Nashville football stadium in September. It includes a personal message from Kevin about his fight against ALS and footage of his days as an NFL player. Currently posted at CMT.com, the video will be available for sale on iTunes beginning Monday, Dec. 13. All proceeds from the sale of the "Journey On" video benefit Turner's nonprofit organization, The Kevin Turner Foundation.
"Making the video was a new and exciting experience for me," says Turner. "The fact that my kids were a part of it as well made it infinitely more significant. 'Journey On' is the calling card for The Kevin Turner Foundation, and we hope that its message goes far and wide to raise money and awareness in our fight to find a cure for ALS."
Ongoing medical research has linked recurring head trauma and concussions, often suffered in football and other high-impact sports, to increased diagnoses in athletes of ALS and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). In partnership with the Sports Legacy Institute, Turner has agreed to participate in critical research that studies the effects of repetitive brain injuries. For more information, visit www.SportsLegacy.org.