After 13 Year Struggle With ALS, Steve Gleason Reacts to “Incredible” ESPYS Honor as Saints Legend Overcomes “Extreme Adversity” to Raise Awareness

Steve Gleason is set to receive a major honor at The ESPYS. The former NFL safety will receive the prestigious Arthur Ashe Award at the 2024 ESPY Awards on July 11. Since his diagnosis in 2011, the 47-year-old has struggled with ALS. Hence, Gleason wants to take the chance to raise awareness of the disease.

The New Orleans Saints player took to his X account and thanked ESPN for the award. However, Gleason’s main ambition is to be able to share his journey filled with “peace” and “love” despite the “extreme adversities” battling the disease for 13 years.

Other than Gleason, legends like Muhammad Ali, Pat Tillman, and Billie Jean King have also graced the stage to receive the award. In 2015, the National Collegiate Athletic Association also honored Steve Gleason with the NCAA Inspiration Award. Gleason played his college football for the Washington State. After going undrafted in 2000, the Saints signed Gleason and the Washington native played 83 games for the franchise with 71 tackles to his name.

Though leading a regular life is not an option for Steve Gleason, the former NFL star has found a way around it.

Steve Gleason’s creative ways to overcome obstacles

In April 2024, Gleason published his autobiography, “A Life Impossible.” In the book, he discussed the difficulties of living in such a fragile state. However, he did not give up on life and found the most creative ways to read and write. In an interview with The New York Times, the former footballer revealed how he keeps going amid adversities.

“I have always loved to read,” added Gleason. The former football player is an avid reader and he recalled the time when he read books in the Saints’ locker room.

Despite the illness, Gleason hasn’t lost his sense of humor! He joked, “I’m not so good at flipping pages.” While physically holding a book is not an option for the NFL legend, Gleason relies on tools like Kindle to “tear through books.” Books helped Gleason cope with his ALS diagnosis and Robert Waldinger’s “The Good Life” provided him a lot of will power to keep on fighting!

So what was Steve Gleason’s experience of his very own book? According to the man himself, the former NFL player wrote the book with his eyes, “letter by letter.” However, finishing the whole book was emotionally taxing for the former Saints’ No. 37. Gleason labeled his 13-year journey as the “most lacerating” and “vulnerable” period of his life.

Now, with him being on the 2024 ESPYS to college the Arthur Ashe Award, Steve Gleason has the chance to preach his story to the world and raise awareness about ALS.