Elgin man dies after tough battle with ALS; golf outing in his name to continue

The family of an Elgin man who fought a tough battle against a terrible disease says the plan is to continue holding a yearly golf outing and fundraiser in his name.

Cory Sanderson was 47 when he died Dec. 10 from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, in the home he shared with his wife of 20 years, Dawn, and their twin 15-year-old sons, Ethan and Wyatt. His parents, Ken and Jackie Sanderson of Elgin, also were there.

Cory was a bright, witty guy who never lost his zest for life and his desire to get to know people, Dawn said. "He had a great smile. People always commented on that," she said.

Cory worked as vice president of sales for the South Elgin manufacturer Koepfer America when he was diagnosed with ALS in January 2015, just two months after earning a black belt in the marital art Kyuki-Do.

The Sanderson Cup, whose fourth edition took place in June at Elgin Country Club, was organized by his fraternity brothers from Purdue University to benefit the Sanderson family and the Les Turner ALS Foundation.

Friends and customers came from all over the United States and as far as Germany to participate in the golf event, Cory's father said. "His fraternity brothers were extraordinary," particularly the main organizer, Dan Breier of Sleepy Hollow, he said.

Although most medical expenses were paid by health insurance, there have been hefty additional costs, including building a wheelchair ramp to the house and adding a bedroom and bathroom to the main floor. The family plans to donate his wheelchair and equipment to the Les Turner Foundation and other nonprofits.

There is no cure for ALS, a progressive neurological diseases that mainly involves the nerve cells that control muscle movement. Just over 5,000 people are diagnosed with ALS each year in the United States, with an average life expectancy of two to five years from diagnosis, according to the ALS Association.

"He battled for five straight years," his father said.

Living with ALS means never knowing if it's going to be a good or bad day, Dawn said. The family got invaluable support and advice from other families affected by the disease, she said.

"Our main focus was to take it one day at a time and enjoy every moment we could have together," she said. "Even if they were good moments or bad moments, it was us trying to take something positive away from it."

In recent times, special moments for Cory meant being able to watch a rented movie or going outside on the patio to enjoy the nice weather. There were occasional movie theater outings, too.

"Myself and the kids, we were really good at picking up what he was communicating," Dawn said. "You get that way when you spend much time together."

The connection between Cory and his future wife was sparked in 1992 by mutual friends after they both graduated from Larkin High School in Elgin.

"As a dad, he was very patient. More patient than myself," Dawn said. "He was a good dad, especially considering we had twins. He was hands-on-deck right away, one for each."

Cory attended as many events as he could to watch his children play music - Wyatt plays the French horn and Ethan plays the trombone. "He did not stop living," his father said.

The family is coping with losing Cory like they faced his disease - together. "I'm sad but also relieved that he's not suffering anymore," Dawn said.

His mother Jackie said she sees Cory in her twin grandsons. "The way he would answer a question or ways he would look or would act, I see it in both of them," she said. "That's wonderful."