Who was Ady Barkan? Protagonist of 'Not Going Quietly' documentary
A prominent activist and an ALS advocate, Ady Barkan died at 39, confirmed his wife Rachael recently. Barkan was a prominent figure who did extensive work for healthcare rights. Barkan, who suffered from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), was diagnosed with the neurological disorder in 2016. From his early life, battle with ALS, to his contribution to healthcare, here's all to know about Barkan.
Barkan is survived by his wife and two kids
Taking to his X account, Barkan's wife announced his passing away. In a thread of tweets, she said he died of ALS complications, while also thanking the caregivers who helped Barkan to fight his battle with ALS. "I'm devastated to share the news that Ady has died from complications of ALS," she wrote. He is now survived by her and their two kids.
'He was a wonderful dad'
Who was Ady Barkan?
Barkan ran a non-profit organization, Be A Hero. The aim of the organization is to better the healthcare facilities in the United States of America. He went on to study law at Yale University, after completing his undergraduate course from Columbia University. During his college days, Barkan was actively involved in political causes. He gained popularity after he began advocating healthcare for ALS patients.
Barkan featured in 'Not Going Quietly,' a documentary on him
Filmmaker Nicholas Bruckman made a documentary titled Not Going Quietly that featured Barkan. The 2021 documentary is based on his life after he was diagnosed with ALS and the difficulties thereafter. It also showed the two key moments of his life that made him popular - suing his insurance company and confronting a senator on an airplane over health facilities.
More about the senator's confrontation and suing the insurance company
"This is your moment to be an American hero," said Barkan to Arizona senator Jeff Flake when he met him on a plane and confronted him over the tax bill regarding health facilities. Barkan also sued Health Net, a Southern California-based health insurance company for allegedly denying insurance benefits to its consumers. Barkan was named one of Time Magazine's Most Influential People.
