For more than five years now, Forrest McKinney has worked for FSG’s Technology and A/V team in Dallas.
Forrest has worked in the A/V industry for many years and brought his tremendous talent to FSG as a sales engineer, designer, and overall subject matter expert in the A/V feild. Forrest is highly respected by his co-workers, industry professionals, and the numerous customers he has helped over the years. FSG counts Forrest as a valued team member.
Recently Forrest found himself ill with little to no understanding of exactly what his illness was. Over the course of a couple of years, Forrest found himself with reduced mobility and communication abilities. However, he continued to design first class A/V systems for FSG customers all while juggling doctors appointments, hospitalizations, and his responsibilities to his family.
Forrest recently took the time to write a note of thanks to everyone that has supported he and his family through this trying time. The FSG team would like to share that note of thanks with you. We at FSG, continue to lift Forrest and his family up in prayer as well as the FSG Technology and A/V team as they work to support Forrest and his family through this trying time.
Join us in praying for and lifting up Forrest and his family. 
“I want to take a moment to thank all my friends for the support and encouragement in my ongoing journey with my still undiagnosed illness.
The outpouring of kind words, encouragement, and prayers has meant more than I can express over this year and a half fight.
I have also been asked by many of you to update you on my condition. As some of you know over a year and a half ago, I started having minor slurred speech, that progressively got worse. Then strength in my legs decreased, then vision issues, then hand weakness, balance, arm strength, and lungs/diaphragm. What is the real kicker is how healthy I am. I have had multiple MRIs of everything, biopsies, multiple spinal taps, gallons of blood tested for every strange disease the Mayo knows of. I have a great team of doctors and specialists working on this. I pass tests with flying colors, but this makes it hard for them to pin down just what this is.
Today if you see me I look the same, but my speech is hard to understand, so email or text is the best way to communicate (my typing is affected so I am slower to respond) my legs/balance are off, so I have to use a walker or wheelchair.
As to where I am in this journey, I am still doing tests, working with doctors and therapists to maintain or improve my abilities. When insurance allows my doctors to treat me, I do undergo some multi-day IV treatments that improve my symptoms. It looks like this will be a while longer before I know if I am dealing with ALS or something else.
I want to say some special thank yous: To my employer FSG. The love and support from this company and co-workers is amazing. I could not be fighting the way I am without FSG. They truly are fighting by my side.
To my family, Church, and you my industry family. The support and outpouring of encouragement, understanding, and help is greatly appreciated by myself and my family. I get asked a lot how can you help. This has been hard to answer as I will don’t know what I am dealing with long term and where this journey is going. But things that you can do:
Your continued thoughts, prayers, and words of encouragement mean so much to me. Your patience professionally. Again my communication is best via email or text, but I am slower to respond.
If you want to help financially in this fight some friends have set up a YouCaring site. You can access that site by Clicking Here
The MDA is a great organization that is an amazing resource for those of us dealing with ALS, or other muscle diseases. The MDA of DFW is have a muscle walk on September 16th, your donation or participation would benefit myself and many others. Learn more by Clicking Here
Thank you again. I will work on updating more often. Forrest McKinney”