About Steve
New Orleans Saints Legend Living with ALS, Founder of Team Gleason, and Congressional Gold Medal Recipient
Steve Gleason played 8 seasons for The New Orleans Saints, recognized as a counter-culture athlete who spent his off-season adventuring in developing countries. He will always be remembered for his blocked punt on the night the Louisiana Superdome reopened for the first time after Hurricane Katrina.
In January 2011, Steve was diagnosed with ALS, considered a terminal neuromuscular disease. Beyond his faith that there is a solution to heal, it is his mission to show that patients can not only live but thrive after this diagnosis. In doing so, he hoped to inspire others to do the same. With that in mind, Steve and his wife, Michel, formed “Team Gleason” to help him accomplish those goals and more.
Steve’s story and mission have been told countless times throughout the media and in a soon to be released documentary. The NFL Network, ESPN, HBO, ABC, CBS, CNN and many local out-lets have all been inspired to share the Team Gleason story in many ways. He was featured in 2 Peter King interviews during Super Bowl pre-game shows, NFL’s A Football Life, Good Morning America, HBO’s Real Sports and more.
He was named one of 2 Sports Illustrated’s Inspirations of the Year in 2014 and been a keynote speaker for Microsoft and at 2 United Nations sponsored Social Innovation Summits. Steve was the featured personality on the highly praised and reviewed Microsoft commercial during the 2014 Super Bowl with over 3 million views since airing.
As an advocate on the national stage, Team Gleason has brought ALS to the forefront. In 2015, both the US House of Representatives and the Senate unanimously passed “The Steve Gleason Act” to ensure the availability of life-sustaining communication devices. The Act was signed into law on July 31, 2015, but had a 3-year sunset. In 2018, the Steve Gleason Enduring Voices Act was submitted to replace the original law and passed in February.
Read More
Steve in Action
”
“Steve Gleason is an awesome, inspiring, motivational speaker who infuses humor and truth into his presentations. Steve’s knowledge runs deep and he has an ability to authentically connect with any audience. His words and life lessons leave an indelible effect on all who are privileged to hear him. If you are looking for a unique speaker that will educate and elevate an audience, Steve is a perfect choice. After hearing Steve speak, you will know the meaning behind his words, No White Flags and Awesome Ain’t Easy.”
”
“It was a great event and Steve’s speech was amazing!!! Thank you so much for your help and for following up😊 I posted some photos, etc. on our social media pages today as well if you want to check them out. Have a wonderful weekend!”
”
“Steve,I want to thank you for spending time with our team at the Make-IT-happen awards ceremony yesterday. Words cannot express the positive impact you had on our team and me personally. So many people reached out to me and let me know how much your speech meant to them. I very much appreciate you sharing your life lessons, and your courage to transform and be so meaningful to so many people. Thank you.
Your fan, John”
