( CNN ) Richard Glatzer , who directed a powerful film about a professor battling Alzheimer 's as he faced his own harrowing health struggles , has died . Glatzer died in Los Angeles on Tuesday after having ALS for four years , his publicist said . He was 63 . Glatzer co-directed `` Still Alice '' with his husband , Wash Westmoreland . The 2014 film earned a number of major awards for its lead actress , Julianne Moore . Directing the movie was a challenge that Glatzer embraced , even as he faced a growing number of health obstacles after his ALS diagnosis in 2011 . `` On set , he inspired the cast and crew with his perseverance , ( co-directing ) the film by typing with one finger into a text-to-speech app on his iPad , '' his publicist 's statement said . In a Twitter post Wednesday , Westmoreland said he was devastated . `` Richard was my soul mate , my collaborator , my life , '' he said . `` A true artist and a brilliant man . '' Opinion : Why 'Still Alice ' is about you . When she accepted her Academy Award for best actress last month for her role in the film , Moore noted Glatzer 's absence . `` Finally , to our filmmakers , Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer , who had hoped to be here tonight , but they ca n't because of Richard 's health , '' she said . `` When Richard was diagnosed with ALS , Wash asked him what he wanted to do . Did he want to travel ? Did he want to see the world ? He said he wanted to make movies . And that 's what he did . '' People we 've lost in 2015 . CNN 's Topher Gauk-Roger contributed to this report .
Glatzer , who co-directed `` Still Alice , '' has died . He had been battling ALS for four years .