Did you know that March 1 is designated as International Wheelchair Day? In honor of this special day this month, we shine a light on Joshua Hunter, a Broomall resident whose life reflects resilience and adaptability. Joshua, who suffers from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), shares his meaningful perspective on accessibility, independence and what it truly means to navigate the world on one’s own terms.
Born in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia, Joshua moved to Broomall as a young boy and grew up there with his parents, older sister and grandparents. He attended Worrall Elementary School and Paxon Hollow Middle School and in 2002 graduated from Marple Newtown High School, where he competed in wrestling.
Joshua’s grandfather had a profound influence on him during his childhood. A boxer in the Air Force, he encouraged Joshua to take up the sport, an activity Joshua still enjoys today. Along with his father and grandmother, his grandfather also shared a deep love of good food and cooking, a passion that ultimately inspired Joshua to pursue a career as a chef.
After high school, Joshua went on to culinary school at Walnut Hill College, one of Philadelphia’s first colleges to focus on excellence in hospitality education. Josh discovered a love of Asian Fusion cuisine and Sushi, and had a successful career for decades as both a private chef and a sous chef.
For Joshua, being a chef opened the door to a life of travel, and he had the opportunity to work and live in places like California and Hawaii. He also worked here on the Main Line and in Philadelphia, working as a sous chef with renowned restaurateur and Iron Chef Jose Garces. “Getting to travel around was a real perk,” said Joshua. “But what I liked most about being a chef was making people happy.”
Several years ago, although Joshua’s career as a chef was going well, he began to notice small, easy-to-dismiss changes in his health. First, his hands felt weaker and there was occasional muscle twitching. Overall, he had a lingering fatigue that didn’t match his activity level. After a series of medical visits and tests, those early signs were finally connected, leading to a diagnosis of ALS. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurological disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement. Joshua explained that over time, these motor neurons stop working, leading to muscle weakness, stiffness and difficulty with activities such as walking, speaking, swallowing and breathing. He has what is known as type 4 ALS, which is hereditary and also very rare.
Although the diagnoses came as a shock, Joshua said there were small signs and inklings of something not right with his health. “Back in high school, I had to have surgery on my feet,” he recalled. “I now know that it was most likely due to early signs of ALS. But I didn’t know that at the time.”
Over the past few years, Joshua has gone from using a cane to being in a wheelchair. Using his wheelchair has actually increased his independence by giving him the freedom to move through his day on his own terms. He drives a van with a lift and doesn’t need to depend on others for transportation. At home, his wheelchair makes cooking easier and safer by allowing him to move efficiently around the kitchen.
While Josh is quite independent, when things get challenging, he’s got a big support system. “It takes an army some days when I need more support,” said Josh. “I’ve got seven people whose strength and support make each day possible. That’s my family.”
Josh has a 10-year-old daughter, Phoenix, a fifth-grader at Russell who loves soccer, boxing and singing in the district’s select choir. Joshua and Phoenix live in Broomall with his partner, Melissa Scanlon, and her four children, Caden, Harleigh, Holden and Arya. Melissa herself grew up in Broomall, and all of the kids are students in the Marple Newtown School District. “Melissa is an angel of a woman,” said Joshua. “Without her I couldn’t do anything.” Josh describes this blended family as “foodies,” and when he’s not cooking for them, they love going out to eat and trying new places. Each summer, they take a 10-day trip to Ocean City, Maryland, and they’ve also made lots of memories on a trip to Puerto Rico, as well as a Disney Cruise.
Josh also has what he calls his second family, and that is the staff and members at Planet Fitness (PF) in Broomall, where he works out five times a week. Despite the physical challenges that come with his diagnosis, he prioritizes movement and strength, pushing himself to work out at the gym. “Planet Fitness has been like a second family to me,” he said. “They’ve gone above and beyond to help me with anything I need.”
Since 2025, Brian Sloan has been Joshua’s personal trainer, helping him at PF with a program to gain muscle mass. Brian is the owner of Motion House Fitness (MotionHouseFitness.com), a mobile personal training company that works with clients of all fitness levels in Delco and the surrounding areas. A personal trainer since 2011, Brian has always been passionate about his health and staying in shape. He has a number of clients with disabilities, including cerebral palsy, stroke and even people undergoing cancer treatment. “Joshua is my first client with ALS,” Brian said. “But I treat him like anyone else, and he thrives on that. He’s the most positive client I have.”
When the two are training at PF, Brian said they also spend a lot of time socializing with other patrons. “Sometimes we get so caught up in talking to people there,” Brian added. “Josh always has a smile on his face, and everyone wants to talk to him.” Broomall resident Elaine Subbio is a longtime PF client who became acquainted with Josh last year. “He’s really upbeat and always has a kind word for everyone there,” said Elaine. “ is trainer is also sensational and really challenges him. It’s very inspirational.”
Boxing is also still a big part of Josh’s life and routine, and you’ll find him at Boxing with Andre in Folsom several times a week. “It’s helping me maintain muscle strength, balance and coordination,” explained Joshua. He explained that the repetitive motions support his range of motion and flexibility, while the cardiovascular aspect may improve endurance and energy levels. “My doctor has even noticed an improvement in my progression of the disease, and that is thanks to Brian and my boxing family.”
Not only does Joshua’s sense of purpose come from his family and his community, it also comes from getting involved in the ALS community. A few years ago, he connected with Tony Heyl, the Director of Communications and Public Policy at ALS United Mid-Atlantic. “Tony directed me to this organization and it’s changed my life,” he said. The mission of ALS United Mid-Atlantic is to unite and empower the ALS community. They not only have a collaborative approach to fostering bold research initiatives, advancing national and state advocacy, they also provide comprehensive care and support to individuals and families affected by ALS. “They’ve really taught me how to advocate for myself, at times when I wanted to give up,” said Joshua.
ALS United Mid-Atlantic serves people with ALS and their families across the eastern half of Pennsylvania, central and southern New Jersey, and all of Delaware through comprehensive care programs and groundbreaking research to improve quality of life and expedite the discovery of treatments and a cure for ALS. “They also organize events to raise awareness and funds, such as concerts and sporting events, which bring together the community,” Joshua said.
Joshua’s boxing family has also supported his fundraising efforts by sponsoring events that raise money for ALS. “I’m grateful to Marple natives David Feldman Sr., president of Philadelphia-based Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship and his older brother Damon Feldman, founder of Official Celebrity Boxing. Their promotional boxing fights support charities like ALS Mid-Atlantic. I grew up looking up to them and it means a lot to have their support,” said Joshua.
Since getting involved with ALS United Mid-Atlantic, Josh has lobbied on Capitol Hill for bills that would support people with ALS. Thanks to his efforts alongside Representative Kyle Mullins and Representative Bryan Cutler, they officially secured the funding for neurodegenerative diseases like ALS. “As part of the state’s $50.1 billion budget, Governor Josh Shapiro secured the first-ever investment in Neurodegenerative Disease Research last year,” Josh said proudly.
Joshua explained that the funding will be distributed through competitive grants to institutions that conduct research on neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease and related disorders. “Pennsylvanians will have access to proven biomarker testing. That means more patients battling ALS and other diseases will have the information needed to identify the best treatments possible,” he said.
Joshua’s strength, resilience and commitment to helping others facing the same battle will no doubt leave a lasting impact. Marple Friends & Neighbors thanks Joshua for sharing his story, a powerful reminder that a diagnosis does not define a person’s spirit. While ALS has changed many aspects of his life, it has not taken away his determination to keep moving forward.