Former Saint Steve Gleason To Attend State Of The Union

Steve Gleason refuses to go quietly into the night. The former New Orleans Saint was diagnosed with ALS (commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease) in 2011. He formed Team Gleason to raise funds for ALS research and raise awareness. Gleason has refused to be a prisoner. He ascended the Andes mountains in Peru, and visited the ruins of the lost Incan city of Machu Picchu. That's a daunting challenge for an able bodied individual, let alone a man in a wheelchair. He made former Boston College baseball star Pete Frates' ''Ice Bucket Challenge" a national craze. The Advocate reports Steve will accompany senator David Vitter to the President's State of the Union address on Tuesday. The senator said, “Steve and the rest of Team Gleason have been super advocates for legislation that would help folks with disabilities to live fuller, more independent lives. I’m excited that he’ll be here in Washington to bring some more attention to ALS and our legislation.”