Every90Minutes

Home
United States
Austin, TX
Every90Minutes

Every 90 minutes someone is diagnosed with ALS and another one dies. With your help we can change it!

In 2014 Jay Smith, founder of Livid Instruments and father of two young girls was diagnosed with ALS. This page chronicles his fight to live with and help find a cure for ALS.

06/08/2026

Downtown record collecting with my baby girl

06/02/2026

my friend, Neon Satellites have released an album, and all streaming income goes right into my medical trust. Click to find your streaming service. listen on repeat and please share!

04/20/2026

my daughter volunteers for and they put on a dog fashion show every year to support their amazing work. Sadly, our poorly behaved dog's didn't win.

03/30/2026

It's rodeo season in Texas and we went last week to my favorite one Rodeo Austin I have been to nearly twenty rodeos in my sixteen years of living in Texas and have been to some great ones and artist's perform like; Chris Stapleton, Boyz II Men, Lucas Nelson, Ludacris, and last week Flatland Calvary. I'm always done up in western drip, or as my girls call it my gay cowboy blouses. This one did not disappoint. Big thanks to Rodeo Austin for putting us right next to the ball riding, everyone's favorite. Shout out to my boy Justin, the funniest rodeo clown for providing the entertainment for all these years. Rodeo Austin is the perfect mix of weird meets rodeo and i love it!

03/11/2026

I had an awesome visit today from one of my oldest friends, Anthony. We grew up in the same neighborhood, and our families were close our moms were real estate partners, and his dad coached me in just about every sport I played growing up.

He brought his son along, who is basically a spitting image of him and about the same age Anthony was the last time I saw him, before I moved from Monroe, CT to Doylestown, PA.

It’s been 35 years since we last saw each other, but it honestly felt like no time had passed at all.

01/20/2026

Do It For Jay 2026 auction is live. Bid on hundreds of items to support Jay's medical costs. Items include: Vacation packages, getaways, jewelry, electronics, artwork, sports memorabilia, and more!

01/09/2026

For Christmas Missy got me tickets to see a string quartet play 90's hip hop by candlelight. It was totally awesome and incredibly thoughtful.

01/07/2026

ALS and the importance of living each day.

ALS is like being trapped inside a body that refuses to cooperate, while your mind is perfectly clear.

Jay Smith and his wife, Melissa Mekosh, grew up in Doylestown, where his dad was CEO of the YMCA and his mom a realtor and Central Bucks teacher. Missy’s parents owned the Warrington Skating Rink.

Read more of this family's story at: https://www.buckscountyherald.com/news/health-wellness/als-and-the-importance-of-living-each-day/article_59448692-8cc3-435d-a7a6-19051a92606c.html

12/25/2025

Merry Texas Christmas y'all. 80° in Austin!

12/18/2025

My Life as a Snowman

It’s around this time of the year when my wife questions her husband’s coolness. I’m sure it’s not the only time, but the most evident. You see, I’m one of those people who loves Christmas music. I start playing it around the clock just as soon as I can, usually the week of Thanksgiving. She’s okay hearing the Boss sing about the snow on the boardwalk and even the Beach Boys harmonize about the small stature of St. Nick, but my collection runs deep. It usually involves hours of Aaron Neville; I mean, the man sings like an angel. When I get my voice back, I pray it comes out like his singing voice. Not ironically, either. I don’t know much, but I know I love him.

Listening to this music pretty much all day for the past week, I’ve paid close attention to the lyrics in each song. Becoming mostly paralyzed from ALS, your senses become heightened, and I can mentally multi-task like never before. I can easily type an article with my eyes and analyze the lyrics of a song at the same time. I was reading a book and listening to “Frosty the Snowman” the other day when I realized how much we have in common.

You see, Frosty is more than just a balled-up mound of dirt and snow. He’s a guy with a real existential problem on his hands. Instead of moping around with his corn cob pipe and button nose, he recognizes his limited time and decides to live with intention, purpose, and love. He doesn’t worry about his withering body or going out into town looking like a freak whose eyes are made of coal.

Like all of us, his time on this Earth is finite, but unlike most of us, he is aware he’s been given the gift of life and is living it to the fullest. He’s not worried about getting the latest silk hat, what Rudolph just posted on Instagram, or the size of the ball that makes up his midsection. He’s just thumpety-thump-thumping his jolly, happy soul for all to see.

When I was diagnosed with ALS almost three years ago, I turned into a snowman—given a second chance to be as alive as I could be. I get to spend time watching my kids grow into exceptional young ladies instead of wondering how they grew up so fast. I try to positively impact people’s lives through writing, advocating, and spreading love. Through other’s sorrow, I get to experience the very best in people I would have otherwise not had the time or opportunity to do so.

We’re all rolled up and brought to life on this earth to thumpety-thump-thump over the hills of snow. Most of the time, we get so wrapped up in life we forget our Frosty-like existence. Instead of dancing around, we worry about things that have no impact on the ones we leave behind. From one snowman to another, don’t wait until you realize the sun is too hot that day. Go out and run and have some fun before you melt away.

I originally posted this in the Huffington Post in 2017, copyright Jay Smith

Address

9002 Jolly Hollow Drive
Austin, TX
78750

Telephone

(617) 319-4016

Website

http://every90minutes.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Every90Minutes posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Every90Minutes:

Shortcuts

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Austin?