Jim Getka, age 60, is married to Naomi, and together they have five children, ages 12 to 22. He was a pastor for most of his adult career, but also taught Spanish in a public high school for seven years. He was diagnosed with ALS in April of 2018, after a year and a half of noticing slurring of speech, reduced vocal range, and excess saliva. He currently uses a speech app to communicate with those outside of his immediate family. Jim works part time as a pastoral assistant and, for the time being, a part-time shuttle driver for his son’s high school.
