Mr. Connolly Has ALS (Beloved Teacher Documentary) | Real Stories Indie Doc

An inspiring high school principal is embraced by his community as he continues to lead the school, despite rapidly losing his ability to walk and speak due to the debilitating effects of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Mr Connolly sadly passed away due to complications related to ALS on Sunday, August 19, 2018.
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Produced by LikeRightNow Films

[@brookiebrooke7246]

U can TRUELY see the soul of somebody thru their eyes...even before his diagnosis, u can clearly see his kindness in this man.😇😇😇

[@daniwhizzbxng]

Ugh, just the kindest eyes I've ever seen. Life is so unfair sometimes. What a beautiful soul and a beautiful legacy he left behind.

[@1GGBEE]

What a wonderful man and legacy he left behind.

[@carlstanton2550]

Stumbled across this purely by accident, and I'm so glad I did. What an amazing man he is,even after losing mobility, he still went to that school every day and did whatever he could for those students. He truly cared about every single one of them, you can see it in his eyes. Such an inspirational man, and kudos to the guy who made the documentary. Extremely well made.

[@shivamvaid601]

Now this is a great teacher. I hope he is at peace knowing thousands of people look up to his legacy.

[@chelseybe1147]

Thank you for making this. I lost my Dad to ALS in 2014 & it was the hardest thing our family has had to face. My heart goes out to this gentleman’s family. More light needs to be shed on this horrific disease & what diagnosed patients & their families go through. ❤️

[@ouidaderraji304]

Sorry for your loss. I’m a nurse and I recently cared for a patient with ALS. I’m hoping to reunite with him. Taking care of him changed my life. I’m praying for him every day. I’m wishing to see him one more time in this life.

[@aofyleake]

i clicked this because i had a mr. connolly as a teacher and i wanted to see if it was him. when i realized i wasn't i started to click away but i'm so glad i didn't. you are such an inspiration in your dedication to your students, we need more people like you helping guide young folk like me through life. thank you mr. conolly for being the best principal for those kids and reminding us all of what it means to be a good person

[@sandylafontaine]

U desrived him

[@wendyqallab6906]

I just hate this disease.

[@AdventuresOfTiff]

That one person that disliked this video should be ashamed. We don’t have many people left in this world that love everyone no matter the race or sexuality or anything like that. We need more people like him!!

[@lindahinojosa299]

The ones who disliked it were probably disliking it because they were so sad.

[@ShogoMakishimaxx]

Yeah, you don't know why someone dislikes a vid.

[@catman8670]

Don’t judge!

[@Mr-id4os]

Thank you as I also received an deadly medical diagnosis recently; Mr. Connolly's documentary has lifted my spirit

[@shelbygrl29]

May you be surrounded by love, patience and especially HOPE!!!!!! I do not know if you are a "believer" or not, but I pray that God pours out MANY BLESSINGS, AND healing upon you; and that you experience a TRUE peace- one that cannot be explained or fully understood- but just that you are surrounded by this peace (like your favorite blanket! :P). May your days each be filled with love, wonderment, and hope. And may you live each day, FULLY, WITHOUT fear but WITH love. May you have comfort and support in every way and in every hour. And may you NEVER forget to smile or laugh!! Laughter CAN be the BEST medicine (sometimes even when you think it may be at "inappropriate time"!!! Loll) So go ahead and LAUGH!!!! Best wishes and lots of love and prayers being sent your way!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤xoxoxoxoxoxoxo Sincerely, Shelbygrl

[@kemhigdon]

Steller documentary. What a truly wonderful person Mr. Connally was. So blessed to have touched and inspired so many lives. I wish I'd known him. My deepest sympathies to his friends and family.

[@DJDivaDee]

That is a man with a pure soul, he gave his all and it shows. Very emotional.He is an angel on earth. His daughter is blessed to have had such a beautiful father. God bless his Wife and family

[@bcodih2936]

I love this. Makes me appreciate the littlest of things in life. To see that he hasn’t let his ASL get him down or stop him from living life everyday is amazing.

[@faithrachael5879]

Now this is the purpose of humans on earth to love,lift each other up n looking for better brighter days. (Rip much respect)

[@jonathansneemickeysshamele384]

This man is the person we should aspire to be. I am from the UK and think this man is Just Wonderful what a great credit to your great Country. Jonathan Snee

[@susanchisena8166]

Jonathan Snee Mickey's shameless .... why Thank you for your sweet and genuine comment. I am from NY. Always, envious of your accent and proper English😘

[@jonathansneemickeysshamele384]

I really believe what I said about this inspirational man and so cruel that this disease has effected him. Jonathan Snee Regal Retreat India!!

[@karenb4520]

Amazing person, husband, father, friend, principal... He did as much as he could with his ALS. My uncle passed away from ALS - it is a horrible disease. It zaps the life right out of you. Mr. Connolly shared his disease with dignity and love. Deepest sympathies to his family.

[@ljiljanajurisic]

Why are bad things always happening to good people? So sad! And such a great teacher! World needs good teachers!

[@catslade8958]

That was beautiful, what an amazing man. The world needs more people like him.

[@Marsena]

What a blessing to watch this documentary! I'm so glad Mr. Connolly was surrounded by the love of his family, friends and students before his passing. Truly sorry for the loss of this fine gentleman, but grateful for the legacy he left behind.

[@krissy8045]

I loved his answer when asked the question…if he had thought or considered assisted suicide and he said no way I'm the oldest optimist and believe that any tomorrow they could find a cure! What a man and an amazing family! Rest easy Mr. Connolly

[@yhaneilgarnett7168]

Tears😭❤️ RIP to a wonderful man❤️❤️❤️

[@aliyahlee289]

Cried the whole time , so inspirational , such good spirit . his mind was still the same just stuck in his body which he had no control over anymore .

[@bonnymcdonald3985]

This is a horrible disease that robs life far too early & far too brutally. Thank you for sharing this story. Mr. Connolly seemed to be a great man who touch so many, many lives

[@carly9355]

Tearing up over this. I didn’t go to Concord High, but I am from NH. This man is what other educators should strive to be.

[@jennat9243]

What a genuine good guy💜 Wish I had a principal like him when I was in school 🙂 May he rest in peace🙏

[@sharontaylor3890]

What a great role model. So sorry that he has passed away. ALS is a horrible disease. But if all things happen for a reason, then the reason for him getting ALS was to let thousands of people get to know and admire Mr. Connolly through this video, which may not have been filmed had he remained healthy. His life and words teach others how to be a great high school principal and role model for kids.

[@DanteVoorhees]

I wish this was longer, I wanted to get to know that great man even more. What an inspiration to us all and what a terrible disease to have taken him. Rest in Peace Mr. Connolly

[@dnd1007]

This is heartbreaking and beautiful. What a phenomenal educator.

[@Starryeye1012]

I graduated from this school in 2002 and he came to this school right after as principal. Heard he was a wonderful principal and left an everlasting impression there. Shame on those who did a thumbs down

[@AngelOne11]

My heart goes out to you! Sending you the gentlest warm hug

[@krissy8045]

Such an inspirational man. I wish social media would go crazy every year on the anniversary of ASL Day, and have the ice bucket challenge get bigger and bigger because it was a great way to fundraise money and get the message out!!!! The world needs more people like Mr. Gene Connolly, RIP I hope this video really gets around!!!!

[@lvceline]

This was absolutely beautiful and touching. This man seemed as genuine and good as a human being can be. He was obviously an inspiration to countless students. I'm sure every student he encountered considered themselves lucky to have known him. Thank you for making this!

[@colincomposer]

When Mr. Connolly said he wanted to be remembered for being a good person, I thought that was absolutely fundamental to who he was. This was a man whose goodness radiated from him like a beacon

[@TheGQBrotha]

Wow, very inspirational human being and a true hero to his students. He seems to be leaving an indelible mark on those he has interacted with and that is one of the most powerful impacts we can make in our time on this Earth.

[@kansaki98765]

I aspire to be like him. What an inspiration, making sure the kids are happy in the school to the very end. Amazing man !

[@trashcanchic]

This so sad and horrible. ALS is so terrifying and cruel. I'm so sorry this happened to him and to everyone else dealing with this terrible disease.

[@maatirah6530]

May he rest in perfect peace.

[@elizabethcastruita453]

What a great human being and what a wonderful family. You are all an example on how to face challenges no matter how difficult, with dignity and love.

[@HShango]

I wish i had this headteacher when i was a teenager, he's so inspirational, (i'm almost about to cry), he didn't deserve ALS at all, but life has a way of always making things hard from time to time, maybe this his way of spending his last days with his students and family, sad that on this beautiful planet called earth it has beautiful things that can aslo end your life down to a virus.

[@tonyaperry4763]

Moses Johnson- He was the "principal" of this highschool. Not the headteacher.🙂

[@tonyaperry4763]

@thatgirllNancyy -i apologize, I miss that. Either/or, apparently he was a good man. Thank you for pointing out correct info.

[@SuperMissblueeyes]

So sad he's passed away. What an amazing man! I'm sure each & every student has memories of him to treasure & lessons they have learned from him to guide them through life. My deepest sympathy to his family, staff & students for their huge loss. But I hope that the amazing memories they have to treasure will bring them some comfort to know they can make Mr Connolly live on through their own lives.

[@debbabbit9283]

For everything there is a season. My husband died unexpectedly. He had the same philosophy and approach to his students as Mr. Connoly did.

[@KellyAndAmanda100]

this made me start crying. what a precious and inspirational man Mr. Connolly was. rest in peace

[@ddubfan]

Wow. This was one of the best documentaries I've ever watched. I'm in tears. What a beautiful man. Thank you for this 💜

[@christinagoodfellow9887]

Cried the whole time

[@elegantlywasted5447]

Christina Goodfellow me too

[@heatherrainbowlady4969]

Same

[@danibabyy]

Me too

[@NathalieSnip]

Same here :(

[@barbm2375]

This is such a beautiful tribute to a beautiful person. Love to each and every one who reads this comment ❤️❤️❤️

[@leslietrubiano5313]

You can see his soul through his eyes. What an inspiration to his student's. What a heartfelt loss to our society. He a jewel as a person. Will live on in the hearts that loved him.

[@kimoconnor495]

What a wonderful man ,you can see he was loved by everyone.If only more people were like this lovely man.God bless hes family

[@butchpolston6730]

This is so touching. God bless him and his family!

[@AK-lg6ju]

What an amazing man who truly loves his kids

[@shirleyhall8916]

This story just had me in tears the love that he had for his students and even to to the last days of him leaving the school he had to b a wonderful person als didn’t stop him from being a person that everyone that knew him loved may he rest in piece this really has me crying it just touched my heart like u wouldn’t believe 😭😭😭😭

[@OzzieOzzieOzzieOyOyOy]

Rest easy, Gene Connolly. You were, and continue to be an inspiration.

[@foxylady9110]

What a lovely man, rest peacefully..

[@bridget5180]

He’s got a beautiful spirit, smile & attitude. What a great example of what an educator and leader should be. 🖤

[@DJ-kl8tt]

Another great person teaching those in heaven, wish all teachers were like mr Connelly

[@cmeproductions9034]

God bless this man's gentle soul. Love from Mexico!

[@stephanieharrell7480]

Beautiful story about a beautiful man.

[@ShenJones]

What a beautiful, kind, and loving individual.

[@brandonwright5792]

What a wonderful documentary. God bless him. A great teacher, role model and leader. Wish I had someone like him when I was in school!

[@NotRealNamesAgain]

A good teacher is a hard thing to come by, and worth their weight in gold. For me in High School, Mr. Tscharner was more than a good science teacher, he was also a friend when I needed one. Value the good teachers you run into, you'll wish for them again later on in life.

[@geraldineowens7001]

I cried through most of this programme what an amazing human being why can't there be more people in the world like mr Connelly so wonderful

[@GMHG777]

This man was a hero, a warrior, a man who gave and enriched those lives around him, again he was a hero and this was a beautiful albeit it sad story, but this man was a truly good human being !! What an inspiration he was and should always be for those who knew and loved him and for those just seeing this video !

[@Julessou]

What a beautiful human being with such a kind and caring soul ❤️ RIP ❤️

[@marielcastillo6025]

What a beautiful human being. Born to make a huge difference❤❤❤

[@aliceg23]

What a beautiful, inspiring human being.

[@susanchisena8166]

What a good Man. Life is so unfair. However, He has touched so many lives is such positive way. He made a difference in this world. Rip

[@fisharefriends598]

An inspiration... I’m glad he had such an impact

[@blubot7944]

many of my friends attended concord high. i had to drop out of school early because of a physical disability and taught myself through online courses. i heard many great things about Mr. Connolly and am very sad to hear of his passing.

[@69nisi]

very very touching...thank you!

[@sherryreed8271]

He was so encouraging to others and was a inspiration to others.

[@samanthacatalano]

Truly touching documentary. What a beautiful soul and honorable legacy.

[@mikehancho2082]

I lost my dad to this disease this year. Thank you for showing great pride.

[@TakiMomoify]

What a wonderful human being.

[@gbecks3672]

I wish I could have met such a wonderful person! Beautiful family, students and principal

[@itsmeduality]

Life isn’t fair. What a great person 😢

[@elizabethcolombo3388]

Wonderful video n sooo inspirational. We need more educators and people like gene connelly. He gave so much of himself selflessly and oh so obvious to all. God bless you and keep you close to Him in your heavenly home. 🙏

[@michaeltioko9060]

I'm thankful for being a voice for my loving son who has autism. This is thanks to Mr. Connelly's documented video, I can appreciate how much words do mean more than ever. R.I.P brother.

[@sues3466]

What a brave and wonderful man.

[@maryfrye3684]

Wow what a wonderful beautiful person for the family so sorry for your loss.

[@rainbowwriter672]

This is great. These kids got to know this man before he got “sick “. Their questions are not asked out of pity but out of love for a man they admire.

[@WALES1154]

What a truly remarkable and brave man.

[@Riskiamo]

What an extraordinary human being.

[@claricelouie624]

Thank you for this truly inspiring story of a great man.

[@jerrygrillo2176]

This is a great film -- heroic subject, great storytelling. Thank you for this.

[@shellyortiz1977]

Such a kind man a heart of gold....

[@snuffybloodsuxer2726]

What a man great video why can't there be more like him in the world

[@amberknighten5313]

Wow! Such an amazing and beautiful man! My heart goes out to him and his family.

[@mariakennison8557]

Amazing man!!! Great documentary!!

[@milanas.4666]

Was für ein wundervoller Mensch mit viel 💖💖💖😭😭😭😭😭 R.I.P

[@whendis.roberts9903]

What a Beautiful Man!!!! His Soul is Absolutely Beautiful!!!! WHAT A GREAT MAN!!!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU SIR!!!

[@jazzzzyst]

Wow... what a man and what a documentary

[@elegantlywasted5447]

I don’t know why but ALS really makes me sad ....what a great doc

[@TheMeganExperience]

I'm not crying; you're crying!

[@Juliet_Capulet]

Oh Jesus, how cruel. What a beautiful man.

[@AbbySterry]

This is one of the most beautiful documentaries I've ever seen, I think you did a wonderful job! I've never met this man, nor your son, but I think they're both amazing people and very inspiring. The term temp made me laugh because it's totally true, and it's something nobody thinks about unless it actually happens to them, and it can happen to anybody. Thank you for making this and for sharing to everyone.

[@DesignedinAustralia0]

This video was the MOST powerful video which made me cry for a long time. MOST important thing we need to keep in mind is : ALS is still out there...

[@jcreelman9328]

What a remarkable man.

[@applejellypucci]

Someone you never forget as long as you live.

[@hootersmick]

Amazing!

[@dreamwalker2518]

Very moving documentary.

[@thebrock12]

This person was totally amazing

[@cathwilliams2976]

Your simply amazing. X