It was a solemn sendoff Wednesday morning for a Pelham man who served as an early inspiration for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

Anthony Senerchia was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis back in 2003 and fought the grim diagnosis for nearly 14 years. He died Saturday at 46.

Services were held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Pelham. The Pelham Fire Department, which made Senerchia an honorary firefighter this year, lined the church entrance as the casket was brought inside.

Senerchia’s widow and high school sweetheart held their 9-year-old daughter's hand as hundreds came to pay tribute to a man who defined the word fighter.

The outpouring of support has been enormous in Pelham. The director at the Pelham Funeral Home tells News 12 that there were at least 4,000 people at Tuesday's wake. That's more than two-thirds of the population of the village of Pelham.