The bittersweet reason behind those NC State coaches' beards

Thursday, November 24, 2016
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- You've seen the beards on NC State coaches, such as basketball coach Mark Gottfried -- now meet the man for whom they're being grown.

That would be Chris Combs, a former NC State baseball player and now Wolfpack Club associate director.
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It started when Combs noticed he began having trouble buttoning the top button of his shirts, particularly when he wore a tie.

"Chris was having a tough time buttoning his shirts, and needed me to help him," said his wife, Gena Combs, trying to hold back tears.

That seemingly trifling annoyance turned into a six-month long medical odyssey that culminated with a diagnosis of ALS.

"Tons of emotions flood through you," Chris Combs said.



There is no cure for ALS.

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As NC State families go, you'd be hard-pressed to find one with redder blood than the Combs family.

Chris Combs's father, Francis Combs was also an NC State baseball player, and a high school teammate of pitching legend Jim "Catfish" Hunter, who also had ALS.

On Thursday, as usual, they gathered together for Thanksgiving, a multi-generational group of Wolfpack athletes and the ones they love.

That love is more important than ever now.



Watch the video to see and hear much more.

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