While there were high expectations that the internationally renowned researcher who had given up all to serve his life to develop a cure for Lou Gehrig's disease would surely deliver results, the man himself succumbed to death. After suffering from the disease himself for the past eight years, Dr. Richard Olney could not battle out the disease and died on Friday, at his Marin County home.

The man has left behind his wife Paula, 38, and two children, a grandson and a brother. Even, the University of California at San Francisco has confirmed the news of the sad demise of Dr. Olney at 64.

The man has done a lot in his life for the research for finding the cure of the disease which could make one lose control over his muscles. There are as many as 30,000 Americans battling with the disease at any point of time, making it among the most contentious diseases of the world. There are as many as 10% diagnosed with it every single year after they are found to have some genetic reasons. However, there are other reasons to be explored which could trigger the disease.

As of now, research work is basically being done surrounding genetic and environmental factors attached with the disease. But, there is a lot to be done to uncover the mystery surrounding the range of causes triggering the disease.

The scientist was born in Munich, Germany, in 1947, and later he did his graduation from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor's degree in 1968. It was in 1973 when he got his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

“It was typical of Rick to put the value of the medical research before himself and not take the drugs outside the boundaries of the trial”, said Dr. Catherine Lomen-Hoerth, who was close to Dr. Richard Olney, and later replaced him as the leader of the UC San Francisco ALS Center.