Former Navy Pilot Battling ALS Gives Congressman In Purple State The Greatest Endorsement

Pennsylvania incumbent Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick has received many endorsements throughout his campaign for re-election. His most heartfelt endorsement came from a husband, father, and former Navy Pilot who has battled amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for over a decade.

“Most of you know that I left social media because it was too challenging to use on my current device. An issue has finally become so important to me that I have worked painstakingly to type out this message character by character,” Matt Bellina wrote in a November 1 social media post. “This is far from a political post. This is a deeply personal request for you to consider voting for my very dear friend, Brian Fitzpatrick.”

Matt Bellina has been courageously fighting ALS with the support of his wife, Caitlin, after being diagnosed in 2014. Matt didn’t qualify for any FDA-registered clinical drug trials when he was diagnosed and became an advocate for the Right to Try Act, which allows terminally ill patients to take “unapproved, investigational drugs” when they’ve exhausted other treatment options. The bill, which includes Bellina’s name in the title, was introduced and co-sponsored by Fitzpatrick. It became law in May 2018 with bipartisan support.

Matt and his wife worked closely with Fitzpatrick, who is the co-chair of the ALS caucus, to advocate for the passage of the bill.

“He was a champion for the bill,” Matt told The Daily Wire.

Today, I had the great honor of celebrating the launch of https://t.co/9yBaRAE1km—a groundbreaking national platform founded by my friend and partner, the extraordinary Matt Bellina of Northampton.

Matt—a Navy veteran, father of three, and ALS warrior—created this first-of-its-kind space to connect, empower, and uplift everyone impacted by ALS. While he couldn’t be there in person today, his incredible mom, Deb, represented him with strength, heart, and the same unwavering commitment to this mission.

Matt’s courageous advocacy helped shape my Right to Try Act, now law—giving terminally ill patients access to hope when time is short. And now, through https://t.co/9yBaRAE1km, he’s once again turning his fight into something that will uplift and support others.

As Co-Chair of the bipartisan ALS Caucus, I’m proud to stand with Matt and his family in this fight. Together, we will keep fighting to deliver the answers, treatments, and the future the ALS community so rightly deserves.

— Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick 🇺🇸 (@RepBrianFitz) June 21, 2025

“He always opened his office to us and our children. At the time we had a six-month-old, a three-year-old, and a five-year-old. So having all of them in his office—is a lot,” said Caitlin. “Everyone in his office was super welcoming to us and told us, ‘When you’re in DC, treat this as your home.’”

Fitzpatrick and the Bellina family have continued to work together in the fight against ALS.

“Today, I had the great honor of celebrating the launch of ALS.community — a groundbreaking national platform founded by my friend and partner, the extraordinary Matt Bellina of Northampton. Matt — a Navy veteran, father of three, and ALS warrior — created this first-of-its-kind space to connect, empower, and uplift everyone impacted by ALS,” wrote Fitzpatrick in a June 2025 X post. “While he couldn’t be there in person today, his incredible mom, Deb, represented him with strength, heart, and the same unwavering commitment to this mission. Matt’s courageous advocacy helped shape my Right to Try Act, now law — giving terminally ill patients access to hope when time is short. And now, through ALS.community, he’s once again turning his fight into something that will uplift and support others.”

Fitzpatrick is running against Democrat Bob Harvie in Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District.

“I know Brian Fitzpatrick personally. I know his character. I know the kind of man he is when there are no cameras, no reporters, and no political advantage to be gained. And I love him. That matters to me far more than whether he satisfies every demand of either political party,” Bellina wrote on social media. “Whatever our politics, I hope we never lose the ability to recognize a decent and honest human being when we see one.”

Brian Fitzpatrick’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.