Ex-Saint Steve Gleason to get U.S. Congressional Gold Medal Article content NEW ORLEANS — U.S. President Donald Trump has signed legislation awarding former New Orleans Saints and Washington State football player Steve Gleason the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honour awarded by Congress. The 41-year-old Gleason has ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and Congress sought to honour him for his work as an advocate for people with the paralyzing neuromuscular disease. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Ex-Saint Steve Gleason to get U.S. Congressional Gold Medal Back to video Gleason is the first NFL player to receive a Congressional Gold Medal. He became famous for blocking a punt in 2006 on the night the Superdome reopened after Hurricane Katrina. He retired from the NFL in 2008 and was diagnosed with ALS in 2011. He has since spearheaded efforts through the Team Gleason foundation to develop and provide technology to help ALS patients live longer, more fulfilling lives. Those include devices that track eye movements to help paralyzed people type words that can be transformed into speech. Gleason has used the technology to communicate, post messages on social media, address lawmakers from around the world and give motivational speeches to athletes. Congress last year approved the Gleason Act, which provided funding to help ALS patients get such devices.<doc-sep>METAIRIE, La. -- Steve Gleason will become the first NFL player and just the eighth individual athlete ever to receive a Congressional Gold Medal, which is considered the highest honor that Congress can award to a civilian. Gleason, a former special-teams standout with the New Orleans Saints, has become a renowned advocate for those with ALS and other neuromuscular disorders since he was diagnosed himself with the debilitating disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2011. Gleason issued a statement Thursday, saying "Today, I learned that Congress has confirmed my nomination for the Congressional Gold Medal. Talk about feeling undeserving! The list of past winners is filled with enlightened and powerful giants of humanity. It's ridiculously overwhelming. "I'm grateful to Michel, our families, my caretakers, our Team Gleason staff, the researchers of Answer ALS, and the cities of Spokane and New Orleans, for gracefully shining the light to lead me. "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." My statement on the Congressional Gold Medal. -SG pic.twitter.com/ExS09rqvP6 — Steve Gleason (@TeamGleason) December 21, 2018 The House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation Thursday to award the Gold Medal to Gleason after the Senate also unanimously endorsed the award in June. The final step is for President Donald Trump to sign the legislation. "It is a true honor to witness Steve Gleason become the first New Orleanian and former NFL Legend to receive the Congressional Gold Medal," Saints owner Gayle Benson said in a statement. "Along with his wife, Michel, and everyone at Team Gleason, they have unfailingly confronted ALS with a courageous and unwavering determination. Their tireless work to provide crucial assistance and the latest in technology and services has improved countless people's quality of living. Steve is leaving a truly indelible mark in American history and we are honored to call him a true New Orleans Saint." The Steve Gleason Act, signed into law in 2015 by President Barack Obama, makes critical technology available to patients with ALS and other neurological disorders through Medicare and Medicaid. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert "Through his work to help others who are disabled, Steve Gleason has changed so many lives for the better," Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy said in a statement. "As more members of Congress heard about Steve's work, the support for this bill only grew. Steve is a hero to many and I'm proud we got this done to honor a great American." "The Congressional Gold Medal is reserved for those individuals who make a profound and lasting contribution to our country -- and Mr. Gleason has certainly done that," Patty Murray, a senator from Gleason's home state of Washington, said in a statement. "For those of us who've followed him from his early days in eastern Washington, to anyone just learning about his story today, we are all so fortunate that Steve brings the same fight and passion to his health care advocacy that he brought to the football field. Steve, you make Washington state so proud, and it's been my honor to play a role in helping your Congressional Gold Medal come to fruition." Gleason's most spectacular moment on the football field came when he blocked a punt against the Atlanta Falcons to spark a Saints victory on the night the Superdome reopened following Hurricane Katrina. But he has since become internationally recognized for his efforts as a crusader for those with ALS. The Steve Gleason Act was signed into law by former President Barack Obama in 2015 to make critical technology available to patients through Medicare and Medicaid. Previous athletes to be honored with a Congressional Gold Medal are Roberto Clemente, Joe Louis, Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.<doc-sep>Documentary details Steve Gleason's journey to Congressional medal Photo: NFL Network NEW ORLEANS - A documentary chronicling the movement to award Steve Gleason with the Congressional Gold Medal made its debut on NFL Network Tuesday night. The 22-minute episode of 'NFL 360' comes just weeks after the successful campaign for the legendary former Saint to be awarded Congress' highest civilian honor. Most famous for his blocked punt in the Saints' first game back in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina, Gleason became a symbol for the city's post-storm revitalization. He was diagnosed with ALS in the years following the 2006 season and launched the Gleason foundation, an organization pioneering efforts to develop and provide technology to help ALS patients. Bill Cassidy, one of the Louisiana representatives who led the push to award Gleason the Congressional medal, spoke with the NFL Network on why the former athlete was so deserving of the award. "Thomas Edison, Rosa Parks, Walt Disney, Jackie Robinson... I like to think of these as 'firsts'. Steve Gleason, he is an incredible first for someone with ALS, overcoming ALS, providing inspiration to all those with ALS," Senator Cassidy said. The network also spoke with Gleason, who now uses a motorized wheelchair to move from place to place and a specialized, eye-reading computer to communicate. Despite ALS taking a toll on his physical health, he feels that he's shown its possible to overcome the illness. "I actually feel f---ing great," Gleason said with a smile. "In many ways, I feel like I've conquered ALS. And more importantly, our foundation helps others who are diagnosed be fellow conquerors." You can see the full piece, along with Gleason's emotional reaction to a years-old email from when he first received his diagnosis, by clicking HERE. Gleason and his wife recently had their second child. They still regularly attend Saints home games, including this past weekend's playoff win against Philadelphia. The Saints will play the Rams Sunday for a chance to move on to the Super Bowl.<doc-sep>
New Orleans Saints hero Steve Gleason and his journey from being a football player to an ALS advocate to a Congressional Gold Medal recipient will be spotlighted Tuesday night (Jan. 15) by the NFL Network series "NFL 360." The 30-minute episode, hosted by Melissa Stark, is scheduled to air at 7 p.m. CT. The episode will include an interview with Gleason as well as with other ALS patients and family members whose lives his efforts have impacted. The episode will also shine a light on the efforts of U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) to win bipartisan support to recognize Gleason with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor awarded by Congress. Gleason became a Saints folk hero in 2006 when, in the team's first game back in the Superdome following a year-long exile caused by Hurricane Katrina, he blocked a punt that led to a first-quarter touchdown and sparked the Saints to an eventual victory. After his retirement from football, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- also known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease -- and has since become an outspoken advocate for ALS research and patient care. Steve Gleason: How an undersized underdog became a New Orleans folk hero It's Gleason's work on behalf of the ALS community that prompted Cassidy, a physician, to push for him to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. “This episode is a moving tribute to Steve and the lives he has touched through his incredible work,” Cassidy said in a statement. “The NFL Network did a superb job capturing the legislative process as it developed and I hope folks will tune in Tuesday night to watch this exclusive look behind the scenes.” In June, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill to award Gleason the medal. That was followed in December by the House of Representatives' passage of similar legislation. President Donald Trump signed the bill Jan. 3. An award ceremony will be held on a date to be determined later this year. Gleason will be the first NFL player in history to receive the medal. Previous recipients include Thomas Edison, Roberto Clemente, Joe Louis, Jesse Owens, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks and Jackie Robinson.