WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Ex-Radio Personality Under Scrutiny For Allegedly Faking ALS

Ex-Radio Personality Under Scrutiny For Allegedly Faking ALS

By Eric Flack

(LOUISVILLE, Jan. 7th, 2005) -- In a stunning turn of events, radio personality Todd Kelly is accused of faking an illness, then using it to raise more than $100,000. So far, he has failed to produce medical proof that he actually suffers from ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease or accounted for the money he has raised. WAVE 3 Investigator Eric Flack has the details.

In 2001, Kelly said he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS, a rare disease of the nervous system that causes rapid and irreversible degeneration of the nerves that send signals to muscles.

Now, more than four years later, he has not shown any signs of the illness.

But in the past, he has described his suffering. "The pain I have now is like -- it's like someone is stabbing me."

And that, coupled with his inability to account for the thousands of dollars he's raised, has raised serious questions as to whether it's all been an elaborate hoax.

When we asked Kelly point blank if he could prove he has the disease, he told us, "Yes, if I need to, yes."

It now appears that things have progressed to the point where Kelly does indeed need to provide proof.

As we mentioned, Kelly, who, up until a few days ago, was an on-air personality at WDJX, first announced he had ALS, in 2001. There was an outpouring of support from the community.

But that was five years ago, but Kelly has yet to outwardly exhibit any of the symptoms of the devastating illness that took down one of the baseball's greatest legends.

Todd Adams with the Louisville MDA chapter, says that's unusual. He says ALS is "extremely progressive, and within five years, normally people are showing signs -- in wheelchairs, unable to speak, that sort of thing; possibly even death."

But more than four years later, Kelly has no trouble standing, walking or talking.

As for treatment, the MDA office in Louisville says Kelly has never registered.

Adams says that "normally, a diagnosis of ALS would set into motion a doctor referring that person to come to MDA to find out what sort of services that we do provide."

Kelly may have been a stranger to the MDA center, but he certainly was well-known in the community. Since his announcement, he has tirelessly raised money for his own foundation, and gotten plenty of help.

From places like the Phoenix Hill Tavern on Baxter Avenue, which held three benefits to raise money for Kelly. Frankie Rogers with the Tavern says everyone "just wanted to help him out. To make what time he had left, you know, the best that it could be."

Kelly also sends out emails and letters of his own, telling people he is dying, and asking for their financial support.

By Kelly's own estimate, he has raised between $100,000 to $150,000. With that much money raised, it's surprising that he had trouble paying the bill for his last fundraiser at the Olmstead on Frankfort Avenue in March 2005.

Brenda Bush with the Olmstead recalls "being told to meet him places to pick up the check. We'd get there, and he wasn't there, or would call right as we were getting there and say he got detained, or that he had gotten nervous and had forgotten the check."

Officials from the Olmstead say it took seven months and the involvement of the county attorney's office to get the $9,000 it was owed.

In response, Kelly says "that was due to sponsor problems. That was a sponsor, they was supposed to be helping pay for that, and didn't."

Never afraid of a camera before now, Kelly refused to meet us face to face, preferring instead to talk by phone. Part of the conversation went like this:

FLACK:
Because if you don't have what you say you have, you're the lowest of the low, you understand that?

KELLY:
Oh I understand.

That call took place Friday afternoon, and Kelly promised to call back in two hours with proof of his ALS, as well as an accounting of where the money went.

But Kelly never called back, and didn't answer our calls.

And that has given many of the people who have helped him a sick feeling of their own.

As Bush puts it, "life-threatening diseases and people suffering from them are tragic enough, but for somebody to use it for their own personal gain is just unforgivable."

Kelly started the Todd Kelly Foundation to raise money and awareness a couple months after he publicly announced having the disease. In the past, he's said the money raised has gone to fund other fundraisers, as well as buying beds and wheelchairs for other people who suffer from ALS.

But Kelly has yet to produce any names of people or groups he's donated to.

Three years after his ALS announcement, Kelly said he had cancer as well -- another unsubstantiated claim.

So we have made Kelly an offer to arrange and pay for tests that will prove once and for all if he has any of the illnesses he claims to have.

We'll let you know whether or not he takes us up on our offer.

Kelly resigned his position at WDJX earlier this week, but he says it was not because of these accusations but for personal reasons.

Online Reporter: Eric Flack

Online Producer: Michael Dever