Mark Wahlberg, 55, took on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in a new Instagram video, shared on Monday, July 13.
The “Ted” actor dunked his whole body — and face — in ice cold water to show support for 40-year-old former NFL player Chris Johnson, also known as CJ2K, who revealed in June that he was diagnosed with ALS.
According to Cleveland Clinic, ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes motor functions to slowly regress, leading to paralysis and sometimes an inability to speak.
In Wahlberg’s bone-chilling video, he called out several other celebrities to also participate in the challenge, including Kevin Hart, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, DJ Khaled, and Antonio Tarver.
What Is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge?
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge originated in 2014 after professional golfer Chris Kennedy jokingly challenged his cousin Jeanette Senerchia to pour a bucket of ice water over her head to raise ALS awareness, which Senerchia’s husband, Anthony Senerchia, had been diagnosed with in 2003, the official ALS organization reported.
Senerchia and her cousin are reportedly the driving force behind the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge becoming a viral phenomenon. Because of their efforts, the movement raised $115 million for the ALS Association and $4 million for the ALS Therapy Development Institute.
“Nothing has brought more ALS awareness like the Ice Bucket Challenge during the summer of 2014,” the ALS website states. “The viral sensation spanned the globe, forever changing the future and trajectory of ALS. And the awareness and funds generated by the social media phenomena put us on a path to end this disease.”
Virality of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge faded in recent years, but Johnson, a 3x Pro-Bowler, reinspired the movement when he revealed his ALS diagnosis on “Good Morning America” on June 29.
After the segment aired, a fan of Johnson shared an Instagram video of himself participating in the challenge. He also nominated active NFL players in the 2026 lineup.
From there, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has seen an astounding uptick in participants who have shared their videos online.
Chris Johnson Blown Away by ALS Support
Johnson, in awe of the amount of support his fans and community have given him, shared a statement on Instagram thanking those who have reignited the conversation — and challenge.
“The support you’ve shown me over the last few days has meant more than I can put into words,” Johnson said. “Seeing this video reminded me of something powerful. Years ago, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge united millions of people around one cause and helped change the fight against this disease. Today, I’m asking you to help me do it again.”
In under one month, Johnson’s call to cause has generated thousands of new ALS Ice Bucket Challenge videos across the world. And, Wahlberg isn’t the only star to get in on the action.
Johnson’s NFL community has also rallied hard for him, with many football legends having completed the challenge in support of the running back, including Deion Sanders, Marshawn Lynch, Emmitt Smith, Eric Dickerson, Thurman Thomas, Edgerrin James, and many more.
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