Tanea Brooks, known to wrestling fans as Rebel, has taken on an expanded role in the fight against ALS. I AM ALS announced on October 15 that Brooks has been appointed the first Honorary Member of the organization’s Board of Directors.
The appointment continues a rapid and meaningful advocacy effort from the former AEW personality, who became an official I AM ALS Ambassador in June 2026 shortly after publicly sharing her ALS diagnosis. In the months since, Brooks has used the visibility built throughout her wrestling career to encourage awareness, fundraising, and political action on behalf of people and families affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Brooks’ new board position arrives following congressional action on the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026, more commonly called ACT for ALS. The U.S. Senate approved the measure by unanimous consent on September 28, shortly before the existing law was set to expire on September 30. The legislation, co-authored by I AM ALS co-founder Brian Wallach, extends programs created under the original ACT for ALS law through fiscal year 2031. The bill now heads to the President for signature.
As an Honorary Board Member, Brooks will bring her lived experience and public platform to I AM ALS’ leadership work while continuing to mobilize fans around the country to support people living with the disease.
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“Advocacy for ALS is a major priority in my battle,” Brooks said. “And I plan to continue to fight the good fight with I AM ALS to find a cure and help others get access to treatment.”
From wrestling platform to ALS advocacy
Brooks’ connection with I AM ALS became public in June, when she joined the organization as an ambassador and launched a call-to-action video aimed at her fan base. In that message, she urged supporters to “step into the ring with I AM ALS” while raising attention for the campaign to extend ACT for ALS.
The choice of language was fitting for a performer whose career made her recognizable to a worldwide wrestling audience. Rebel had become a familiar face during her time in AEW, where her personality and presence earned a passionate following. Since disclosing her diagnosis, that audience has become central to an advocacy campaign that has emphasized both personal storytelling and direct involvement in legislative efforts.
Rather than allowing the diagnosis to define the entirety of the public conversation around her, Brooks has repeatedly directed attention toward action. Her campaign has encouraged fans to learn about ALS, participate in petitions, support research and treatment access, and contribute financially to organizations serving the community.
That effort was especially significant as the September deadline approached for ACT for ALS. Brooks called on supporters to sign an I AM ALS petition urging Congress to reauthorize the law, helping turn a familiar wrestling community into an advocacy network at a crucial point for the legislation.
ACT for ALS was initially created to help accelerate access to promising therapies for people living with the progressive neurological disease. Its reauthorization preserves programs established by the landmark law through fiscal year 2031, providing continued support for the work the legislation was designed to facilitate.
AEW and wrestling fans rally around Rebel
AEW has also played a visible role in amplifying Brooks’ cause. The company released Rebel Heart merchandise in her honor, including a shirt, bracelet, and Rebel Micro Brawler figure. Proceeds from those items have gone to I AM ALS and Team Gleason.
Upper Deck joined that fundraising push with a limited-edition Rebel trading card, with proceeds likewise benefiting I AM ALS and Team Gleason. The merchandise initiatives have provided fans with a direct way to show support while helping fund organizations involved in ALS awareness and advocacy.
On September 9, AEW presented AEW Rebel Heart Dynamite live from Akins Ford Arena in Athens, Georgia. The episode aired on TBS and HBO Max and honored Brooks while raising funds for I AM ALS and Team Gleason. The event represented a major public display of support for Brooks from the wrestling world and connected a nationally televised wrestling program to a broader campaign for ALS awareness.
For Brooks, those tributes have become opportunities to keep the discussion focused on the realities facing people who live with ALS. The attention generated by merchandise, television, and fan interaction has been transformed into fundraising and education rather than existing simply as a retrospective celebration of her wrestling career.
A historic board appointment
I AM ALS described Brooks as its first-ever Honorary Member of the Board of Directors. The distinction recognizes not only her public advocacy but also the role people living with ALS play in setting the priorities of the movement.
Andrea Goodman, CEO of I AM ALS, praised Brooks’ willingness to move into advocacy immediately after her diagnosis and highlighted the distinctive way she has reached people through her public presence.
“Tanea turned a devastating moment into immediate action, calling us soon after her diagnosis to join the movement,” Goodman said. “She uses her platform, humor, vulnerability and unwavering honesty to make people pay attention, and take action. Welcoming ‘Rebel’ to our Board as Congress reauthorizes ACT for ALS is a powerful reflection of what she has helped us achieve and what this movement is built on: collective power and visibility of the very people living with the disease.”
The appointment places Brooks in a leadership capacity at a moment when the organization’s work has achieved a consequential legislative result. It also underscores the importance of patient-led advocacy, particularly in a disease community where access to care, speed of research, and awareness can have an immediate impact on those diagnosed and their loved ones.
Brooks’ role is honorary, but the responsibilities outlined by I AM ALS are substantial in purpose: continue sharing her story, use her experience to inform the organization’s mission, and activate supporters to take action for those living with ALS. Her involvement is expected to maintain a direct bridge between the wrestling audience that knows her as Rebel and the national advocacy movement she has embraced.
What comes next for Brooks and I AM ALS
With Senate passage complete and the reauthorization bill moving to the President’s desk, attention now turns toward implementation and the ongoing work required to support the ALS community. The extension of ACT for ALS through fiscal year 2031 marks an important development, but Brooks has made clear that she views advocacy as an ongoing fight rather than a single legislative campaign.
Her message has consistently centered on two connected goals: pursuing a cure and helping people obtain access to treatment. Those aims reflect the urgent concerns of patients and families dealing with ALS, while also offering fans clear avenues to participate through awareness, donations, and organized action.
Brooks’ elevation to the I AM ALS board is therefore more than a ceremonial acknowledgment. It formalizes her place in the organization’s leadership structure and ensures that a prominent wrestling voice remains part of the conversation as the movement pushes forward.
For the wrestling industry, the development is another example of how the reach of performers and promotions can extend beyond the ring and television screen. AEW’s Rebel Heart initiatives, Upper Deck’s fundraising card, and the response from fans have all demonstrated the collective support available when a community rallies around one of its own.
For Brooks, the work continues under a role that carries both personal meaning and national importance. Rebel’s fight has moved from a call for support into a historic position within I AM ALS, and she intends to keep asking fans to step into the ring alongside her.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.