About the Kennedy Family

Message about Jake Kennedy’s ALS diagnosis

Jake and Sparky Kennedy
Jake and Sparky Kennedy

The Kennedy family is more familiar with the tragedy of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) than most families. Jake Kennedy, one of eight children of Chris and Mary Kennedy, and co-founder of Kennedy Brothers Physical Therapy, saw his Dad pass away from ALS not long after he retired as Dean of Students at Northeastern University.  Jake’s youngest brother, Jimmy, was diagnosed with ALS in his late 20’s and passed away at age 31. In 2016, Jake’s younger brother, Rich “Ratt” Kennedy, was diagnosed with ALS.  And in November of 2019, at age 64, Jake was diagnosed with ALS.

Jake and his wife, Sparky have four children, one of whom, Zack, is a biomedical researcher at UMass Medical School. Zack’s research is focused on potential genetic therapies to slow the progression, or even cure ALS. He collaborates with Dr. Robert Brown, a national pioneer and leader in ALS research at UMass Medical School. 

Jake, Sparky and their children decided to create the Jake Kennedy ALS Fund to support the promising ALS-related research underway at UMass Medical School, with 100 percent of the donations supporting ALS research.

Jake and Sparky Kennedy have lived their lives helping those less fortunate through their 30 years of running Christmas in the City.  Christmas in the City is a 100 percent volunteer organization dedicated to giving homeless children in Boston an unforgettable Christmas experience.

Jake working with a patient at Kennedy Brothers
Jake working with a patient at Kennedy Brothers

At the first Christmas in the City in 1989, 165 homeless children experienced their first real Christmas.  This year, more than 4,000 homeless children visited with Santa, had an afternoon of fun and games in the Winter Wonderland and recieved the present they want most. Christmas in the City is a day where promises are kept. And it is Jake and Sparky and more than 2,000 volunteers who make it happen.

Jake and Sparky, and their children, are finally willing to accept your help—-all in the name of finding a cure for ALS. Through a partnership with the ALS Center at UMass Medical School, the Jake Kennedy ALS Fund is now asking for your support.

The Kennedy Family
The Kennedy Family

We need your help!

It’s time for all of us to give back to Jake Kennedy, fighting for his life and fighting for a cure for ALS. Jake has run 37 Boston Marathons, always understanding that race is a marathon, not a sprint. But curing ALS is a sprint, not a marathon. We need your help now!

Jake tells everyone that he is “the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”  Please make a donation to the Jake Kennedy ALS Fund today.