NEW ORLEANS — The end of summer is often a time of travel and so it was for Steve Gleason and his family. The former Saints player and ALS trailblazer traveled home to Spokane, Washington for a Gleason Foundation golf tournament.
Perhaps what makes Gleason's family vacation so remarkable is how typical it sounds.
"We're doing scavenger hunts through the mountain forest, we're tubing on the lake," Gleason said.
Powered by an uncommon will and technology that allows him to move and talk with his eyes, Gleason remains squarely focused on raising his kids: His son, Rivers and his daughter Gray.
"For me it's just so fun to see Rivers develop and really truly have some Huckleberry Finn adventures," Gleason said. "Gray is just getting to the point where she is connecting with me. it's overwhelmingly beautiful for me."
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A glimpse at the Gleason family is a window into living life with purpose: For eight years we've watched them conquer seemingly impossible challenges and share their success with other ALS families.
"We're working with the world's greatest technology companies to improve voice banking, voice recognition and speech synthesis so people can communicate more quickly and more effectively," Gleason said. "While these are not considered medical cures, they're real solutions that help families with ALS live productive, purposeful lives."
By the looks of it, the Gleason family was not just living life but loving it out West, reminding us with every smile and twinkle in the eye that love endures all.
Later this year, Gleason will receive the Congressional Gold Medal. He's hoping it'll raise awareness for ALS and inspire people to become better human beings and commit to causes greater than themselves.
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