2019 Plunge For Pete Frates Event To Be The Last

GLOUCESTER (CBS) -- This year's Plunge For Pete will be the last, the Frates family announced Tuesday. It will be the eighth annual event.

"Honestly, our hearts were not totally into it these past couple years knowing that Pete could not attend and that he was back home in bed," said a Facebook post from Nancy Frates, Pete Frates's mom.

The Plunge For Pete will be Saturday, Dec. 28 at Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester. Registration begins at 11 a.m.

Pete Frates died last Monday. After his ALS diagnosis in 2012, Frates became a renowned advocate for ALS research and the face of the Ice Bucket Challenge. The plunge would have been on his 35th birthday.

"With that, we want to HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK!" Nancy Frates added. "PETE WILL LOVE IT!"

She and husband John Frates plan on participating in the plunge if they reach their donation goal of $50,000. In a Facebook fundraiser, she said there were "costs we still have to pay for keeping Pete in our home for 8 years while he heroically battled this terrorist of a disease."