Brian Zubatch was the deeply loving father of Aaron and Sydney Zubatch, adored husband of Michelle Zubatch, and the cherished son of Betty and Seymour Zubatch.

Our incredible cousin, Brian Zubatch, was born on February 5, 1961. On that day, the world became a much funnier and kinder place.

Brian was our favorite comedian. A master of one-liners, jokes, and hilarious stories; he kept his family and friends laughing… and laughing… and laughing.

Brian was unwaveringly disciplined in his pursuit of excellence. This distinguished him in business, athleticism, and card games (though he always suspiciously lost when playing against young children).

Brian was exuberant. As a child, he mimicked the daring feats of WWE wrestlers. In adulthood, he competed in marathons and the insanely difficult Spartan race. Even in the wake of his diagnosis, he lived life to the fullest. He continued to work and go to the gym, albeit, in his words, “a bit slower.” He took trips to Hawaii, Japan and Italy with his family. All the while, he remained positive and continued to radiate warmth and humor. He had a unique ability to face adversity without complaint. He was selfless, and never wanted any of us to worry about him. He was always more concerned about how others were doing rather than focusing on himself.

That was Brian. He was thoughtful and kind to his very core. He made an impact on all of us and we will forever be grateful for his presence in our lives.

Six years after his ALS diagnosis, Brian died on August 14, 2021 at the age of 60.

All of us who knew and loved Brian felt the horror and unfairness of this neurodegenerative disease, which presently has no cure. ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) is at the forefront of research to cure ALS. The people at ALS TDI got to know Brian well. They were a trusted resource that provided help to Brian throughout his six-year struggle.

To honor his memory, we – Brian’s cousins -- have established the Brian Zubatch Memorial Fund, which will further Brian’s efforts to help these researchers in their race to develop a cure for ALS.

If you would like to make a donation to this fund, you can click here to do so online or you can send a check payable to ALS TDI (Brian Zubatch Memorial Fund) to this address:

ALS TDI
Brian Zubatch Memorial Fund
480 Arsenal Street
Suite 201
Watertown, MA 02472

With hope for a healthier future,

The Burger Family (Carole, Elaina, Max)

The Kamen Family (Steven, Genesia, Anna, Emily)

The Penzias Family (Bonnie, David, Rachel, Akeem, Ava, Jessica, Alex)

The Rudnitsky Family (David, Sherri, Elyssa, Brett)

Note that Steven Kamen and Emily Kamen are running the 2021 NYC Marathon in November to raise money for the Brian Zubatch Memorial Fund.