This became a symbol of post-Hurricane Katrina recovery for New Orleans. He was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, and has been involved with the team ever since. The 42-year-old Gleason was diagnosed with ALS in 2011. Varisco made the announcement via Instagram on Sunday. https://thehill.com/.../478457-ex-pro-football-player-and-activist-steve Those include devices that track eye movements to help people who are paralyzed type words that can be transformed into speech. It's a paralyzing, terminal illness with 2-5 year life expectancy. "Rivers is super excited," said Clare Durrett, Team Gleason's associate executive director, per NOLA.com. A Congressional Gold Medal is presented to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) advocate and former NFL player, Steve Gleason, in Statuary Hall on Capitol Hill, on Jan. 15, 2020. Team Gleason is excited to announce a new effort with Microsoft, Project Insight, the creation of an open dataset of facial imagery of people living with ALS, to help advance innovation in computer vision and broaden the input potential for connectivity and communication. Steve Gleason, a former New Orleans Saints safety and current activist, is being awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his philanthropic work with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which he was diagnosed with in 2011. A Congressional Gold Medal is presented to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) advocate and former NFL player, Steve Gleason, in Statuary Hall on Capitol Hill, on Jan. 15, 2020. With the conclusion of his NFL career, Gleason’s career in activism began. A post shared by Michel R Varisco (@mvarisco) on Jul 29, 2018 at 9:02am PDT. 5:08 pm ET, Ranking Top NFC Teams: New Orleans Saints, A post shared by Michel R Varisco (@mvarisco), Sean Payton on why Marcus Davenport was the Saints trade he simply couldn't pass up, Gleason tweeted out that he was "so in shock I can't move.". , Gleason said that he feels “undeserving” but “honored.”, NOAA predicts which states will get a colder than normal winter this year. “You bring pride to our nation.”. Covering the impact of coronavirus on the sports world. Gleason was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, and has since made major strides as an advocate. Team Gleason has provided over $10 million in adventure, technology, equipment, and care services to over 15,000 people living with ALS and countless others through advocacy, support and ultimately bringing an end to the disease. He established the Team Gleason Foundation with the mission of empowering those with ALS and “To create a global conversation about ALS to ultimately find continued solutions and an end to the disease.”. Our son Rivers was born in … 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, at section: | slug: saints-icon-and-als-survivor-steve-gleason-and-his-wife-are-expecting-their-second-child | sport: football | route: article_single.us | Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana and a doctor who helped sponsor the legislation to honor Gleason. In 2011, my husband, Steve Gleason, was diagnosed with ALS. The social justice organization has announced 397 sister marches and local actions across all 50 states, with key actions confirmed in battleground states. Countries led by women have fared better against coronavirus. Michel said over the summer while it was important for them to be transparent in the movie, it was not easy to lift the curtain. © 2004-2020 CBS Interactive. The Gleasons' first child, Rivers, was born in October 2011. “This award represents the people of the United States of America and is a sublime honor for me,” Gleason, who no longer can speak on his own, said through a computer-generated voice. He has since spearheaded efforts through the Team Gleason foundation to develop and provide technology to help ALS patients live longer, more fulfilling lives. “It represents some joy, some encouragement and some triumphs for the tens of thousands of families living with ALS and others living with disabilities or experiencing anguish, tragedy or adversity.”, Gleason thanked his family for their support since his diagnosis, noting to his wife, Michel, “This is not the life we imagined and it hasn’t been easy.”, Gleason also said it’s his children, son, Rivers, and daughter, Gray, who “give me purpose.”. The pregnancy was made possible by in-vitro fertilization, and the Gleasons will have a girl. Saints icon and ALS survivor Steve Gleason and his wife are expecting their second child Gleason, who had a famous blocked punt for the Saints in 2006, was diagnosed with ALS in 2011. Thank you for inspiring hope even in the face of extreme adversity. Yet, with the choice of ventilation (a trache), a person can continue living for years, with 24 hour care. Gleason has used the technology to communicate, post messages on social media, address lawmakers from around the world and give motivational speeches to athletes. America is changing fast! Congress in 2018 year approved the Gleason Act, which provided funding to help ALS patients get those devices. We were both 34. Gleason also worked to pass the Steve Gleason Act, a law expanding Medicare benefits to providing “eye tracking accessories for speech generating devices and to remove the rental cap for durable medical equipment” to make speech-generating equipment accessible to those with ALS. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opened the ceremony. Here's what they do. Over time, ALS causes deterioration of motor neurons, which in turn negatively affects the brain’s ability to control muscle movement. 'Hillbilly Elegy' movie sparks backlash about portrayal of Appalachia and addiction, What the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests have achieved so far, Chris Christie is urging Americans to wear masks after spending seven days in ICU with COVID-19 | Th, Proposal to let coronavirus spread naturally through US population interests White House and alarms medical establishment. “We have come to honor a true American hero ... who has transformed the lives of so many people living with ALS,” Pelosi said. Trump signed three bills affecting Native Americans. ALS is commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which is defined as a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, With the conclusion of his NFL career, Gleason’s career in activism began. “In the ALS community, he is a rock star, he gives hope,” said U.S. Saints quarterback Drew Brees and his son, Baylen; Saints owner Gayle Benson; NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell; and former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue were among those in attendance. Gleason has worked as an advocate with his wife, Michel, and two sons. — Steve Gleason (@TeamGleason) August 12, 2016. Bell to Chiefs: What it means for CEH, K.C. Former New Orleans Saints safety Steve Gleason was approved to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. Gleason has never been far from the Saints, and it's not surprising that he's not letting ALS keep him down. With an energized civil rights movement on the streets, Ice Cube demands concrete results with his C, After COVID-19 outbreak at hockey game, CDC warns indoor sports can be 'superspreader' events | TheH, New poll says NBA ratings have plunged because of racial justice protests, More than 150 business groups tell Trump to reverse executive order banning diversity training, What the presidential candidates said about LGBTQ+ rights, Women's March takes to the streets, and Zoom, ahead of presidential election. The former New Orleans Saint is immortalized with a statue outside of the Superdome for his blocked punt in the Saints' first game back home after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. Gleason founded a nonprofit and helped pass the Steve Gleason Act to expand medicare coverage for people with ALS. The Trump administration in early September instructed federal agencies to end racial sensitivity training that addressed topics such as white privilege, systemic racism, intersectionality and critical race theory. Gleason played in 83 games for New Orleans between the 2000 and 2006 seasons, emerging as a special teams leader and blocking four punts. Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed and engaged. On Tuesday, it was confirmed that he and his wife Michel Varisco are expecting their second child in October. His final block occurred against Atlanta on Sept. 26, 2006, the night the Superdome re-opened for the first time since it was heavily damaged while serving as a shelter of last resort for thousands who'd remained in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck nearly 13 months earlier. In a statement, Gleason said that he feels “undeserving” but “honored.”, He concluded by saying, “I am honored, and accept the Congressional Gold Medal for all the families who have been diagnosed with ALS, as well as anyone struggling to overcome life’s inevitable adversities.”. Patriots' Michel, Mason land on COVID-19 list, Ekeler talks recovery, calls Herbert 'real deal', McCarthy 'encouraged' Vander Esch ready to return, Broncos cut Bortles as Lock looks ready to return. ALS is commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which is defined as a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, according to the ALS Association. After Steve Gleason was diagnosed with ALS in January of 2011, he and his wife Michel decided to have a child and welcomed their son Rivers into the world in October 2011. He established the, with the mission of empowering those with ALS and “To create a global conversation about ALS to ultimately find continued solutions and an end to the disease.”. He was also awarded a ring for the Saints' Super Bowl 44 victory, despite not being on the team at the time the Saints won, and he was given the key to the city. WASHINGTON — Former NFL player Steve Gleason has received the Congressional Gold Medal — the highest civilan honor bestowed by Congress — for his work as an advocate for people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings. Thank you for being a hero.”. Why? Ex-NFL player Steve Gleason awarded Congressional Gold Medal for ALS work. Gleason’s diagnosis came in 2011 after six seasons with the New Orleans Saints and eight years in pro football overall, where he was perhaps best known for blocking a punt by the rival Atlanta Falcons. After the Saints lost to the Vikings in the divisional round of the postseason, Gleason tweeted out that he was "so in shock I can't move." Gleason had been diagnosed with ALS eight months prior to Rivers' birth. “Our rights... must continue to be part of the conversation,” say advocates. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | , a law expanding Medicare benefits to providing “eye tracking accessories for speech generating devices and to remove the rental cap for durable medical equipment” to make speech-generating equipment accessible to those with ALS. Eventually, it can result in the loss of speech, movement, speaking and breathing. Steve Gleason's story is remarkable. The play has been memorialized by a bronze statue entitled “Rebirth,” on a public plaza surrounding the Superdome. All Rights Reserved. “Through his example of how he lives, he has changed life for us all.

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