616455810.jpg &&& WHEN TOM CORRIGAN was wheeled into Citizens Bank Park on July 4th, there was little doubt that he identified with the man who was to be honored that day, Lou Gehrig. If Tom could have talked he might have agreed with Gehrig that he was the "luckiest man on the face of the earth." But Tom couldn't speak. He was afflicted with the same disease that would cause Gehrig's death almost two years after his famous "Luckiest Man" speech in Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939. Tom's goal had been to attend the Phillies-Mets game that day to hear Gehrig's speech read in observance of its 70th anniverary. Although paralyzed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which became known as "Lou Gehrig's disease," Tom displayed the courage and determination that marked his entire life. He was going to the stadium that day, and that was that. Thomas J. Corrigan, a mechanical engineer for L-3 Communications for 25 years, a marathon runner and cyclist who could put in 100 miles a day on long-distance rides in the United States, Canada and Europe, died Wednesday. He was 50 and lived in Narberth. Like Gehrig, the great Yankee star, Tom's life and struggle with ALS are a continuing inspiration to others facing critical challenges in their own lives. Tom's wife, Catherine Ford, said that she has been "overwhelmed" by the many people who found inspriation and hope in Tom's experience. "He taught them many lessons just by being so good-natured," she said. "They learned from him. They said they were just awed by Tom's ability to overcome incredible challenges." To carry on Gehrig's legacy, Major League Baseball is observing the 70th anniversary of his speech by raising funds for ALS research. Last April, Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky interviewed Tom, who by then was living on a ventilator, paralyzed and mute, retaining only his hearing and vision. To communicate, Tom used a computer attached to his wheelchair with a software program that enabled him to "write" on the screen by simply looking at the letters. When he focused for more than an instant on a letter, it appeared on the screen. "I'm having a conversation with Tom Corrigan's eyes," was how Bykofsky started his column. The computer system was a gift from the Bryn Mawr Running Club, of which Tom was co-founder and president. The system also enabled him to search the Internet and send and receive e-mail. Asked by Bykofsky if he believed that Gehrig really thought he was a lucky man, Tom replied, "Yes, he was. He had his team behind him." And what about him, Bykofsky asked. "I am lucky," Tom replied. "Have a beautiful family, nice house, caring parents." Asked what he missed most, he replied, "Conversation." When Bykofsky asked Tom how he kept from screaming, he replied, "I scream." Tom grew up in West Conshohocken and later moved to King of Prussia, where he discovered his love of running at Upper Merion High School. He was on the cross-country team and winter and spring track teams thoughout high school. He attended Villanova and graduated cum laude in 1981 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He received the Dean's Award for Academic Excellence upon graduation. He started with L3 Communications, a worldwide defense supply company, in 1983. His focus was on government projects. In 1995, he co-founded the Bryn Mawr Running Club, which now has about 500 members. While running with the club, Tom met his wife, also an engineer and athlete. They were married in 2001 and lived in Philadelphia for a time before moving to Narberth. Among his marathons were the Philadelphia, New York City, Marine Corps and Boston runs. Tom also enjoyed long bicycle trips. He and his brother Jim, and later his wife, embarked on long-distance biking trips throughout the U.S., Europe and Canada, often biking upwards of 100 miles a day for days on end. One of Tom's activities with the Bryn Mawr club was organizing the the "Out and Back Party Run." It began as a social event, then evolved into a fundraising charity. When Tom was diagnosed with ALS in 2005, the focus of the event became raising funds for ALS research. The event has raised more than $100,000 for the ALS Hope Foundation. Besides his wife and brother, he is survived by a son, Matthew; a daughter, Grace; his parents, Lawrence and Joanne Corrigan; a sister, Nancy Corrigan Briggs; and another brother, Larry. Services: Funeral Mass 10 a.m. today at St. Thomas of Villanova Church, 1229 W. Lancaster Ave., Villanova. Contributions may be made to the ALS Hope Foundation, Box 40777, Philadelphia 19107. *