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One woman has written her own incredible and heartwarming obituary before dying of ALS, and it’s moving strangers to tears.
Linda Brossi Murphy, an author who hailed from Massachusetts, sadly passed away last Sunday (21 September) following a battle with Bulbar ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), which is a progressive, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that affects the motor neurons controlling voluntary muscle movement.
The ALS Therapy Development Institute explains: "When someone starts to experience symptoms in the neck or face, this is known as bulbar-onset ALS. This name comes from the 'bulbar' region of the brain, which controls the muscles in the face and neck and processes like swallowing and speech."
Bulbar-onset ALS generally starts with symptoms like slurred speech, difficulty chewing and swallowing, excessive choking and weakness or twitching in the muscles of the face, jaw, throat, and voice box, particularly the tongue.
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"Signs that these symptoms may be occurring include difficulty forming words, poor articulation and changes in voice or speech patterns, including a harsh, hoarse or strained voice, and a decrease in range or loudness of voice," the ALS Therapy Development Institute adds.
'I died peacefully while surrounded by loved ones'
The obituary, posted on the official McCarthy, McKinney & Lawler Funeral Home website, begins: "Well, if you are reading this obituary, it looks like I'm dead. WOW, it actually happened ... I died of FOMO due to complications of Bulbar ALS."
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The obituary continues: "My name is Linda Brossi Murphy, and I was just 60 years old when I died on Sunday evening, September 21, 2025 - way too young! As the saying goes, I 'died peacefully while surrounded by loved ones' … I was loved, comforted, and hugged until my last breath by my beautiful family and a couple of my besties!
"My stupid Bulbar ALS got me to the sad point of not being able to talk. Never speaking means never being able to say, "I love you!" It means not being able to call my Mr. BoJangles over for a snack, and it means not being able to order at the Dunkin' drive-through. As far as eating, it totally stinks to sit at the table while people around you are eating juicy burgers hot off the grill, heaping piles of Chinese food, a healthy portion of pasta Alfredo, or Chipotle — and I just have to smile and act like I'm enjoying my bowl of puréed baby mush! Living had gotten to be such an overwhelming burden every day, day after day.
"I always did my very best not to let anyone know "the back story" of my daily suffering and struggles with ALS. Hubby and I just ploughed [sic] through each day, trying to put our best selves out there for the public eye. Hair and make-up done, smiles on…"
'I am leaving behind some amazing people'
Linda said she was leaving behind 'some amazing people', including her husband, whom she has 'adored, unconditionally, from the first moment I laid eyes on him 42 years ago'.
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"We were together from teenagers to grandparents. Our marriage was mostly good and crazy fun. We both agreed, I was an 'A' wife and he was a 'B+' husband for a total 'A-' which is pretty decent for 42 years together!!!" she beamed, before joking: "We became a thruple about 1.5 years ago when Hosee (my respirator) moved into our marital bed.
"From then on, David woke up next to what looked like a fighter pilot with smooshed hair!"
Talking about her 'wonderful family', Linda continued: "My family has been amazing and the absolute best thing about my life. These peeps have filled my heart to overflowing levels!"
'Ugh, honestly, you can't make this stuff up!'
Linda then took a moment to 'stick with formality for a moment' as she shared biographical details from her education and career.
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She also opened up about her ALS diagnosis, which came as she 'kept working through [her] long battle with cancer 12 years ago'.
"Yikes!! Cancer…THEN ALS. Ugh, honestly, you can't make this stuff up! I am very proud of the book I wrote about my journey through cancer. Check it out, it's called F Off Cancer by Linda Brossi Murphy," she added.
'FOMO did me in!"
Linda carried on: "My favourite pastime was being with my family & friends, hence why FOMO did me in! I also adored having fun, anytime, anywhere!
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"No matter what I was doing, I had fun. I was a very happy person to the core. I also enjoyed feeding the birds, gardening, 'playing' the piano when no one was home, playing games on my phone (especially Words With Friends! Overall, I think I was a nice person, except on 'WWF'- sorry, losers!) drinking wine, boating, playing Rummikub with great friends, walking 9 holes of golf on a lovely day, a half-day of skiing, traveling and dancing every chance I could (with my arms in the air, of course)."
'I lived my life with two superpowers'
Linda mused on how she lived her life with 'two superpowers'.
"My first, of which everyone was jealous, was that I could drink as much as I wanted and never seemed to get a hangover... the real wonder is why I didn't die of liver failure," she joked, before adding: "My second super power is that I was always genuinely happy and absolutely loved to be with nice people."
'My advice'
After already sharing sweet words about her own 'awesome family', Linda then shared some sweet advice for her in-laws and a 'plethora of very dear friends'.
"You know who you are and how important you were to me… My advice is to say 'yes' to the party, the trip, the adventure - and while you are there, please raise a glass and 'cheers' for me!" she added.
Linda also made sure to urge anyone reading: "Please be kind to everyone: the telemarketer, the grocery clerk, the Dunkin's staff, the tailgater, your family, your friends. Speak nicely and positively. Is there really ever a reason to be negative? I don't think so…"
'My last donation'
Rounding off her own obituary, Linda shared: "My last donation was made on the way to the funeral home. They swung my body through Massachusetts General Hospital so I could drop off my brain and spinal cord for ALS research."
As a final request, she asked readers, in lieu of flowers, to consider a generous donation to Compassionate Care ALS.org, as CCALS has helped me and so many others live a better life while struggling with ALS'.
'It was a blast while it lasted'
"So to my earthly existence, I say farewell. It was a blast while it lasted. We sure did have fun!" Linda finished up before sharing details of her visitation service, which took place last Sunday (28 September).
She added: "If you were a stinker and meanie to me or my family or friends during my lifetime ... Please do everyone a favour and STAY AWAY, we don't want your negative drama & energy. Only nice, loving people are welcome!"
Reiterating her wish not to have attendees 'waste money on flowers', Linda urged her loved ones: "Buy a bunch of scratch tickets and give them out to strangers along your way. "Make people happy, that is the best way that you can honour my memory."
Concluding with information on her 'celebration of life ceremony' which took place on Monday (29 September), she mused: "Please join my family to celebrate my life, have a glass of wine…some tasty nibbles… and don't forget to bring your dancing shoes and your favourite story to share about me and my shenanigans!"
'Got so emotional reading this'
After catching light of Linda's heartwarming obituary, which has since gone viral, people across the world chimed in to share their reactions.
One social media user penned: "Wow, got emotional reading this. What a spirit. Much love to her and her loved ones."
"It’s always the good ones… Linda made me cry like she was my friend," wrote a second, as a third chimed in: "What an inspiration to read this… There are so many amazing people in these short lives of ours!"
Another commented: "I couldn’t get through the whole thing before the tears came. What a gem of a woman!"
And a final person added: "Let me go buy my first scratch off in honour of Linda! I will be nicer too! May she rest in peace!"
Rhiannon Ingle