Pete Frates died at age 34, “after a heroic battle with ALS,” his family said.

Peter Frates, the man who championed the viral Ice Bucket Challenge to raise money to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), has died.

“Peter Frates. A husband to Julie, a father to Lucy, a son to John and Nancy, a brother to Andrew and Jennifer, Pete passed away surrounded by his loving family, peacefully at age 34, after a heroic battle with ALS,” a statement said Monday. “Pete was an inspiration to so many people around the world who drew strength from his courage and resiliency.”

In summer 2014, the Ice Bucket Challenge flooded the internet, with people from Irish nuns to celebrities to entire pro sports teams filming themselves dumping buckets of ice water on their heads and then challenging their friends to do the same and donate money to research for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Frates, a young college athlete from suburban Massachusetts, helped make the challenge go viral.