 A year after his birth in 1990, Alex was diagnosed with Proteus Syndrome(PS). As a young child his family watched helplessly while his bones overgrew and his joints became bent and unmovable. Major surgeries became a part of Alex's life to keep him as mobile as possible. Attending school, going camping, going to the ocean, and taking each day as it came, made his life normal. As a 9-year-old boy in 3rd grade at Vera Scott Elementary in Colorado Springs, Alex enjoyed the noise of a loud Harley Davidson, the beat of a good song, his friends, his family and he especially enjoyed sitting in his wheelchair in the sunshine and spinning in circles. A special gift he brought to the many people whose lives he touched was his wonderful sense of humor and his playful laughter. He never complained about being confined to a wheelchair, or the limitations of his life due to Proteus Syndrome. His strength was amazing and inspirational. His family always believed that Alex would continue to defy the odds and live a long happy life, however, Proteus Syndrome won this battle. In the form of a pulmonary embolism, a complication of PS Alex died unexpectedly on a rainy Monday afternoon.
In honor of Alex's memory his family and friends will continue to battle Proteus Syndrome until a cure can be found.
 The Proteus Syndrome Foundation is a worldwide support group founded by Alex Hoag's mom in 1991. It supports research to find the cause of and cure for this disease. It also provides family support by helping families unite and by giving grants to families helping them buy much needed medical supplies such as wheelchairs, shoes, hospital beds, etc.
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INTRODUCING THE 2008 ALEX HOAG RUN FOR SUNSHINE
INAUGURIAL SSFCU MILITARY CHALLENGE
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
 The syndrome became widely known by the movie and Broadway play 'The Elephant Man'. PS is a rare and highly variable syndrome affecting multiple organ systems. The cause of Proteus Syndrome is unknown, the effects of Proteus Syndrome on children and adults is devastating. These effects include, but are not limited to: increased organ, bone, or body size; tumors of the vascular system and fat cells; extreme deformities; pulmonary embolisms; all of which can possibly lead to death.
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