In an interview with the North Carolina Coast Federation, former Senate leader Marc Basnight acknowledged he suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- better known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
"I must have turned down 15 interviews, maybe more," Basnight told the non-profit conservation group.
The Democrat, who served 26 years in the state Senate, announced in January 2011 that he would resign his seat before the new session began because of a chronic health condition that affects his speech.
"Not being able to clearly speak on the Senate floor is an incredible disadvantage. If a politician cannot debate, he's not much, not worth his salt," he said at the time.
"I believe it would be wrong to just sit here and not be able to represent the people who voted for me. That would be wrong."
In addition to his 26 years in the Senate, Basnight spent his last 17 as president pro tempore and was involved in enacting every significant state policy of the past two decades, including passage of the state lottery, a ban on smoking in restaurants and bars and improved public education and ethics reforms.
While speaking on the floor wasn't as important while Basnight was Senate leader, Basnight said it would have been harder with his speech difficulties to serve as a rank-and-file member representing the 1st District, which covers eight Northeastern counties.
It's been known for years that Basnight has been struggling with a degenerative nerve disease that affects his balance and that has slowed his unique speech patterns stemming from his Outer Banks accent.
Basnight's wife, Sandy, died in June 2007 after being treated for leukemia.
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