POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — A beloved South Florida pastor lost his battle with a debilitating disease last Sunday.
Those who cherished him most gathered this Saturday at The Harbor Church in Pompano Beach, where Allen Walker served as the family ministry pastor for two decades.
Walker died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. The CDC estimates that only around 5,000 people are diagnosed with ALS each year in the United States.
The rare, incurable degenerative disease attacks the nerves and muscles.
“The fruit of what he gave from his heart to the children and youth of the church in this community, I don’t thing we’ll even know for generations how much of an impact he’s really had,” his widow, Eva Walker, said.
Eva Walker said she shared a deep and enduring connection with her husband for over two decades.
“We met and instantly knew there was a connection, a heart connection,” she said. “The last few years, he couldn’t walk, he couldn’t talk very loud, but he still wanted to live life to the fullest.”
Faith and family led the Walkers to open up their home. Allen was a father to seven children, five of whom were adopted.
Allen and Eva Walker also fostered more than 40 children together.
“In the end, he was in a wheelchair and he couldn’t do all the dad things that he wanted to do, but our kids still just loved him and thought he was the best,” Eva Walker said.
In a final act of love, Allen Walker was also an organ donor, and on the day he passed, his heart was donated to a man in need.
Family members have started a GoFundMe to aid with expenses.
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