Steve Gleason is a global icon and ambassador for inspiration, resilience, perseverance, and leadership. He played eight seasons for The New Orleans Saints, gaining recognition as an athlete who defied the norm by exploring developing countries during his off-season. One unforgettable moment in his career was his blocked punt on the night the Louisiana Superdome reopened after Hurricane Katrina.
In 2011, Steve was diagnosed with ALS, a terminal neuromuscular disease. However, he remains determined to demonstrate that patients can not only survive but thrive after this diagnosis. To pursue this mission, he and his wife founded "Team Gleason." Steve's story and mission have received widespread coverage from media outlets such as the NFL Network, ESPN, HBO, ABC, CBS, CNN, and numerous local channels. He has been featured in interviews, documentaries, and commercials, and has delivered keynote speeches for Microsoft and United Nations-sponsored Social Innovation Summits.
On the national stage, Team Gleason has become a leading advocate for ALS. In 2015, they successfully pushed for the passing of "The Steve Gleason Act," which ensured the availability of life-sustaining communication devices for ALS patients. This law was later replaced by the Steve Gleason Enduring Voices Act in 2018.
Steve Gleason's speeches focus on living with purpose and finding resilience in the face of limitations. His impactful works include a book titled "A Life Impossible: Living with ALS: Finding Peace and Wisdom Within a Fragile Existence."
