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Steve Gleason Hero Essay

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Steve Gleason: New Orleans Hero Heroes come in many different shapes and sizes. Not all heroes wear capes or have huge logos on their chest but are the ones who go beyond the call of duty. Heroes step up in times of need when most will not. A hero can also be someone who uses their disability to make a difference rather than looking at their disability as a hindrance. I believe Steve Gleason qualifies as the perfect example of this type of hero. Steve Gleason, former New Orleans Saints player, became famous when he blocked a punt versus the Atlanta Falcons during the first game back in the Super Dome. The other reason Steve Gleason is famous is because of his battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and how he has used his disability to make a difference. Steve Gleason exemplifies heroic qualities through his courage, altruism, and selflessness. Steve Gleason’s battle with ALS hasn’t been easy, yet he shows us what courage really is. Steve remained strong and determined to beat ALS. What sets Steve Gleason apart from most others is that instead of becoming self focused on beating ALS, he became determined to beat it and help others win the fight. His choice to fight this disease is impressive enough but his work to bring worldwide awareness to ALS through his own organization, Team Gleason (slogan, “No white flags”) goes beyond …show more content…

For no other reason than it is the right thing to do, Steve travels across the nation raising awareness for ALS. He hosts his own Gleason Fest, which all proceeds go towards technology that can help improve those afflicted by ALS. He also had legislation passed, The Steve Gleason Act, which made social security act provide Medicare recipients with the ability to use eye tracking accessories for devices that generate speech and to remove the rental cap durable medical equipment under the Medicare Program with respect to devices that generate

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