Steve Gleason: Ex pro-football player and activist Steve Gleason receives …

Steve Gleason, a former New Orleans Saints safety and current activist, is being awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his philanthropic work with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which he was diagnosed with in 2011.

Over time, ALS causes deterioration of motor neurons, which in turn negatively affects the brain’s ability to control muscle movement.

Eventually, it can result in the loss of speech, movement, speaking and breathing.

Gleason’s diagnosis came in 2011 after six seasons with the New Orleans Saints and eight years in pro football overall, where he was perhaps best known for blocking a punt by the rival Atlanta Falcons.

In a statement, Gleason said that he feels “undeserving” but “honored.”He concluded by saying, “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.”