Saints Legend Steve Gleason Shares Smiling Photos from His Hospital Bed After Experiencing Medical Emergency
Gleason, who played seven seasons for the New Orleans NFL team, was diagnosed with ALS in 2011
Steve Gleason/X
Saints Legend Steve Gleason Shares Smiling Photos from His Hospital Bed After Undergoing Medical Emergency During Hurricane FrancineFormer New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason is recovering following a medical emergency last week.
Gleason, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, experienced extremely low blood pressure and a fever on Wednesday, Sept. 11, prompting his doctor to advise him to go to the hospital for further evaluation, ESPN reported.
But due to extreme weather conditions in the wake of Hurricane Francine, getting to Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans proved difficult, his team wrote on X.
First responders with the New Orleans Fire Department and New Orleans EMS were able to transport the former football safety to the facility where he was listed in stable condition, according to Gleason's team.
Jamie Squire/Getty
Safety Steve Gleason #37 of the New Orleans Saints walks on the field before the start of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 21, 2003 at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars defeated the Saints 20-19Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
"He's continuing to be treated, and we are hopeful Steve will do what Steve does and warrior through to get home as quickly as possible," his rep Clare Durrett told ESPN on Saturday.
Related: Drew Brees Shares Former Teammate Steve Gleason's 'Guts and Grit' in His Battle Against ALS
Through adversity, we find our Heroes. Some of our care crew have been with me since 2011. They’ve been with us through the darkness and the light. They were with me in the ambulance Wednesday as we navigated the precipice. They changed their daily schedules to stay with me at… pic.twitter.com/y0iaLmaK6y
— Steve Gleason - "Live Impossible" (@SteveGleason) September 15, 2024
Gleason, who played seven seasons on the Saints, famously blocked a punt in 2006 during the team's first game back in the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina.
His effort served as a metaphor for the city's resilience, and is a part of the franchise's lore.
Related: New Orleans Saints Star Alvin Kamara on Tapping into His Personal Style — and a Missing Rooster
In an email interview with PEOPLE in 2022, Gleason gave a glimpse about how he communicates — and shared his positive mindset.
“I use a Microsoft Surface Pro, which is like my control center. I have an infrared eye tracker that senses where I’m looking, it allows me to navigate a computer or tablet just as any ordinary person,” Gleason said. “I am able to drive my wheelchair with my eyes.”
He added, “When people say, ‘Steve is now imprisoned in his wheelchair,’ or ‘Steve is confined to his wheelchair,’ I 100 percent disagree. I am liberated by my wheelchair. I am set free by the technology.”
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