Syracuse, N.Y. -- Tim Green started realizing something was wrong when he couldn't use his nailclipper. Soon, he strained trying to open things.
He and his family didn't think much of it at the time. This, they thought, was the cost of playing a violent game, including an eight-year career in the National Football League, a crescendo for one of his life-long dreams.
But two years ago, as Green struggled to hold weighted plates and dumbbells, he told his son, Troy, it was time to learn more about why this was happening.
Green visited a hand surgeon, who told him he had ALS.