Steve Gleason suffered an unfortunate accident recently.
The former New Orleans Saints safety had an accident on Saturday. He reportedly fell while leaving his van on the way to a speaking engagement.
His wife, Michel, would take to his social media page on Sunday night and make the announcement.
“It was traumatic for him and for all of us who witnessed him mangled on the asphalt,” Michel’s social media statement read. “Although he is hurt, it could have been much worse.”
Steve Gleason suffers from ALS, and that has had the 47-year-old wheelchair bound and his speech limited to the keyboard attached to his chair.
Luckily, this fall wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been, as his chair helped brace him from the severity of his injuries.
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“Miraculously, he was spared greater injury because he was strapped into his wheelchair and because of the swift action of his care team, a passerby doctor, and family,” Michel’s statement read.
Her statement also added a bit of humor at the end.
“I guess his van is preparing him for his fight against Jake Paul,” the statement added.
The 47-year-old was on the road to recovery following the incident.
Steve Gleason played seven seasons with the Saints from 2000 to 2006 and had 71 total tackles in 83 games.
Steve Gleason Was Diagnosed With ALS In 2011
Steve Gleason will always be remembered as a hero in New Orleans for his blocked punt in the Saints’ first home game after Hurricane Katrina.
That is just the start of his story.
Gleason’s health took a turn for the worse shortly after he retired in 2008.
Three years later, he was diagnosed with ALS, which is a neurodegenerative disease that damages the muscle.
In the years since his diagnosis, Steve Gleason has lost all mobility functions and can only communicate through eye-tracking technology.
His diagnosis may be debilitating, but Gleason has been positive throughout his ordeal, all while serving the community.
He even received the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal in 2020 for his incredible work.
During the Saints home opener in 2023, he served as an honorary captain.
