Sayreville man films life with ALS

The former Sayreville resident, confined to a wheelchair after being diagnosed with the incurable ailment in May 2005, has turned his fate into the inspiration for what he dubbed his "life's work": a documentary film detailing his struggles with the "ugly, spirit-punishing, insidious illness."

O'Brien, 32, was the subject of a benefit show Monday at Sayreville's Starland Ballroom, where he spoke of the vulnerable characters that have appeared in many of his previous films. The Maryland resident said it's as if the documentary turns him into someone he always wanted to bring to the screen.