Man Diagnosed With ALS at 27 Reveals the Alarming Early Symptoms Everyone Should Recognize

Mikey Stone, 27, received an ALS diagnosis at 26 after first noticing what he called an unusual feeling in his foot. His story draws attention to early warning signs of the devastating illness that people may want to recognize.

Few conditions inspire as much fear as ALS. The disease progressively paralyzes the body’s muscles, and no cure is currently available. According to the ALS Association, the illness gradually breaks the connection between the brain and the muscles, eventually taking away a person’s ability to walk, speak, eat, and ultimately breathe.

For Mikey Stone, 27, the experience began with a strange sensation in one foot. In a TikTok video, he recalled working as a server while living in Colorado when he realized his left foot did not feel normal. He said “weird” was the only word he could initially find to explain it. LADbible reports that his TikTok audience now exceeds 450,000 followers.

Early ALS symptoms

Before long, the sensation began to change. Mikey said the odd feeling developed into stiffness, which then traveled upward into his left calf. Gradually, he also noticed muscle twitching in the affected areas.

Over the following few years, he said those symptoms continued spreading through his body. At the beginning, he did not give them much thought, but eventually walking became difficult.

His legs started feeling “heavy, weak and really tired.” He has compared the experience to trying to walk through the shallow section of a swimming pool.

Walking became difficult

Speaking with PEOPLE, Mikey explained that an early warning appeared when he lost movement in one of his feet. Doctors initially attributed the problem to overwork. He said his gait made him resemble “a pirate on a peg leg.”

Later, while attending a friend’s birthday celebration, he felt feverish and mentally foggy. Soon afterward, he experienced a sensation like a sharp stabbing pain in his abdomen.

Mikey sought medical help, but doctors first suspected coronavirus. He spent roughly three years pursuing an explanation and consulting multiple physicians and specialists before he was finally diagnosed with ALS.

The 27-year-old said that hearing the diagnosis made his whole life seem to flash before him. He explained that only 400 people worldwide have the same extremely rare genetic mutation, which he identified as affecting his SLC1A2 gene.

He now hopes to retain his ability to walk for as long as he can before a wheelchair eventually becomes necessary.

ALS: Possible early warning signs

For people concerned that they might be developing ALS, it is important to remember that although the condition is severe, it is also uncommon. Scientists still do not completely understand why certain individuals develop it.

Research indicates that genetics may sometimes contribute, though inherited factors are not involved in every case. ALS is also diagnosed more often in men than in women.

The ALS Association lists several possible early symptoms:

• Stumbling or problems with walking

• Frequently dropping items

• Tiredness or weakness in the arms or legs

• Speech that becomes slower or slurred

• Muscle twitching or cramps

• Sudden episodes of laughing or crying that cannot be controlled

In Mikey’s case, what initially seemed to be only an unexplained sensation in his foot ultimately proved to be the first indication of a diagnosis that changed his life. His account shows why persistent or mysterious changes involving movement, muscle strength, or physical function should not simply be dismissed.

This article is not medical advice. Anyone who believes they may be ill or is experiencing concerning symptoms should contact a qualified health care provider.