Ex-Saints player with ALS ‘stable’ after medical event during hurricane

New Orleans Saints folk hero Steve Gleason, the former special teams player who blocked an iconic punt in the team’s first game in the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina, has been stabilized following a medical event suffered last week.

Gleason, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2011 when he was 33 years old, has become an advocate for ALS awareness and treatment. He suffered a medical event as the greater New Orleans area was being affected by Hurricane Francine, a Category 2 storm that caused widespread flooding and power outages.

Here’s everything you need to know about Steve Gleason’s medical condition.

What medical issue did Steve Gleason recently deal with?

Gleason suffered a medical event Wednesday as Hurricane Francine, a Category 2 storm, made landfall in the greater New Orleans area, causing flooding and widespread power outages.

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‘For those who have asked, Steve was taken to Ochsner last night during the storm,’ Gleason’s team posted Thursday on social media. ‘He is now stable. We want to thank @NOLAFireDept first responders and @NewOrleansEMS for getting to us during unsafe circumstances and to the @OchsnerHealth staff for their immediate care. We will update everyone as soon as we know more. Thanks, the Gleason Crew.’

There was no indication about how long Gleason would have to be kept at the hospital. But on Friday, Gleason posted a message, expressing gratitude over his ongoing recovery.

‘ALS is a hurricane of a disease. And on 9/11 in the midst of Hurricane Francine, power outages & sketchy phone service, hurricane ALS made landfall,’ Gleason wrote. ‘Thank you for the powerful love and support from all of you. Celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing. I love yall – SG.’

He continued to update his progress to his followers with a series of messages on social media, including some that had photos of the medical and support staff around him at the hospital.

On Sunday, as the New Orleans Saints improved to 2-0 with a surprising blowout against the Dallas Cowboys, Gleason posted another message – this one with an image of him watching the Saints game from a hospital bed.

‘Who are those particular individuals that proclaim they may overcome the @Saints ?! Who Dat!!’ the caption read.

What is Steve Gleason known for with the Saints?

Gleason played seven seasons in the NFL, all of them with the Saints. He played safety, though his primary duties were as a special teams player. During a Week 3 game on Sept. 25, 2006, the team’s first game back at the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina, Gleason blocked a punt early in the first quarter. It was returned for a touchdown and electrified the crowd. Given the emotional stakes of the game after the destruction Hurricane Katrina caused, the play took on a celebratory nature and became an iconic moment in Saints franchise history.

The Saints would go on to win that game, 23-3.

Who is Steve Gleason?

In 2011, Gleason, now 47, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Over time, ALS causes muscles to weaken and atrophy, eventually leading to paralysis. There is no cure for ALS, though there are treatment therapies that can reduce the impact of symptoms and improve a patient’s quality of life.

Gleason uses a ventilator to breathe and communicates using a specialized tablet that tracks eye movement. Following his diagnosis, Gleason became an advocate for ALS awareness and treatments. In 2016, he and his family participated in a documentary, Gleason, that chronicled his life with ALS.

In April, he published a memoir with the help of writer Jeff Duncan, A Life Impossible, Living with ALS: Finding Peace and Wisdom within a Fragile Existence. Gleason used his eye-tracking tablet to write the memoir.

In July, he was awarded the 2024 Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYS. Through his Team Gleason foundation, Gleason has helped raise more than $40 million in care, technology and support for those affected by ALS.