Steve Gleason was battling Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which was also the reason behind his weight loss. Learn more about the former NFL player in the article below.
Steve Gleason is a former professional American football player known for playing as a safety for the New Orleans Saints of NFL.
The athlete is 44 years old, born on March 19, 1977, in Spokane, Washington, and has a height of 5 feet 11 inches.
Steve attended high school at Gonzaga Prep. After his graduation in 1995, he accepted a scholarship to play college football at Washington State in Pullman.
What Happened To Steve Gleason?
Steve Gleason was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease in January of 2011, following his retirement from the NFL.
The athlete was given two to five years to live, but he opposed all expectations and has become a champion for ALS patients and awareness.
Gleason also worked to get the Steve Gleason Act passed by Congress. It helped tens of thousands of people with degenerative diseases to have more access to communication technology.
Moreover, Steve was even awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of freedom for his humanitarian work in 2019.
Steve Gleason Illness And Weight Loss
Steve Gleason suffered from the illness amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, aka ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Moreover, he has seemingly lost some wights due to his illness. The athlete has even documented his illness’s horrific progression, both as an awareness-raising effort and a video keepsake for their son.
The videos tracked the family’s daily struggles for five years as they showed how his wife fed him with one hand and her newborn with the other.
The documentary Gleason was released in July of 2016, and it featured how Gleason learned to communicate using only his eyes. And he now shares his thoughts with the help of a machine.
Who is Steve Gleason Wife?
Michel Rae Varisco is the wife of the athlete Steve Gleason, and they have two children, one son, Rivers, and a daughter named Gray.
Varisco has been a very supportive, caring, and loving wife who has always been with Steve on his better and worst days.
When the athlete was diagnosed with ALS, his wife was pregnant with his son Rivers Gleason. Michel cared for her husband and son by feeding Steve with one hand and his son with the other.
It must have been tough, but she never gave up on her partner and their child. Rivers is now 9-years old, and he surprised his father with a documentary made by him appreciating his gratitude for his father on the occasion of father’s day.