Gleason Page #4

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Tough question.

It was just prior

to the Saints home game

on September 25th

with the Texans

that Gleason went public

that he had been diagnosed

with ALS.

He was named an honorary captain

for that football game.

and came out at mid-field

to lead a "Who-Dat" chant

that no one will ever forget,

especially Gleason.

STEVE:

When I would play football,

during games, I would have

this fear of walking

onto the football field.

And I would tell myself,

"Hey, if I die today

"or on this play,

then I'm okay.

"I've had a good life,

and I feel good about

kind of accepting death."

At the same time,

I think that

that thought and maybe

the actions that followed it,

sometimes I think that's--

That might be why

I have ended up

where I am right now.

And now I think about it,

and I don't want to die.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[CROWD CHANTING]

WHO-DAT?! WHO-DAT?!

WHO-DAT?! WHO-DAT?!

WHO-DAT SAY

DE GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS?!

MAN:

So for now,

Gleason's goals are clear.

Live each day to the fullest

and spread the word about ALS.

If I could help show

and inspire people to--

That have been diagnosed

with ALS to continue living

their life,

and if we can,

as a group,

uh, if we could help

those people--

Those people who have been

diagnosed continue to live

a life that's enriching

and extraordinary,

um, then I think, uh,

that's part of my goal.

MAN:

We have to define your purpose.

To me, there's two things

you can do

in terms of medical disease

related fundraising.

Either for research for a cure,

or for services, equipment,

technology, etc.

I chose services and equipment

as opposed to research.

Okay.

I want to accomplish two things.

I want to advance those

technologies, services,

and equipment.

And I'd like to provide people

with purpose.

We had a kid who e-mailed me.

He said,

"I'm 29, I just read your entire

blog about going to Alaska.

"That's been a dream

of mine forever.

I got diagnosed with ALS

two months ago."

My idea is to create ways

for ALS patients,

even if they can't move, to

participate in these projects,

these expeditions.

But that's-- If all goes my way,

that's what I'd like to do

with the money

that we raise

for this foundation.

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

MAN [OVER SPEAKER]:

Legally, for the formation...

No, no, no.

We do need something

for the foundation.

Yeah, for, so, Jim--

[JIM CONTINUES, INDISTINCTLY]

Thank you so much, guys.

Have a great night.

MAN 1:
All right, thanks.

MAN 2:
Thanks, bud.

MAN 3:

Late.

That was sweet.

[WATER RUNNING]

Hi.

[MICHEL SPITS]

Good morning.

Hi.

Hey you. I'm sorry.

MICHEL:

That's okay.

STEVE:

I don't know why I did that.

MICHEL:

I don't know either.

STEVE:

You are so important.

You know that.

You are, you're it.

You're, you're it.

You're it.

All that other sh*t

doesn't matter.

MICHEL:

Okay.

I'm telling you,

I'm serious.

But I am kind of excited

because I think

we could create something here.

Buddy,

I think it's great.

I mean,

I think it's great.

We have a passion,

a project,

something that we have to

live for.

Steve, this is--

That's raw, you know.

This is--

Look, this is--

That is nothing

why I'm crying,

this has nothing

to do with that.

I don't know

why I'm crying.

I want you

to help me create it.

I know. Steve,

I'm here with you in every step.

It's not like I'm not--

I know. I'm just saying

I want you to feel like

we need you to create this.

This is...

There's things that you can get

too involved in,

but I think that this is

great stuff.

The contractions,

I can't even tell,

'cause there's so much pressure

all the time,

and they've moved from

my hernia down to my--

It's go time.

It's go time.

JULIE:

Michel, that is how labor is.

It's not back labor.

Do you have any fluids coming

out at all?

I just had

a tiny little thing

of pink this morning.

Okay. You're in labor!

Julie,

but we don't know yet,

so I don't want to be

one of those people--

Yeah, I know. Okay?

Sarah's sitting right here

and she's like

"She's having a baby."

You're having the baby today.

Steve, are you ready?

No choice.

[JULIE LAUGHING]

No choice.

I'm letting you know

in advance,

it's going to be

very difficult for me,

pushing this thing

out of that little hole.

You're gonna do great.

I'm gonna help you.

There's things in life that

are hard, but you just gotta do.

I know, but do you understand

what's about to happen?

If it happens.

WOMAN:

Michel Varisco.

Well, it's, uh,

October 19, 2011.

We've done several of

these types of journals,

but, uh, it's, uh--

It's go time.

I've been scared about

doing this for my whole life.

[HEART MONITOR]

Come on out,

little buddy.

Come on out.

Oh, sweet Jesus, Steve.

I want a kiss.

You got it.

Michel, I love you so much.

I love you.

And we're doing the--

Really, the coolest thing

we could do together, right?

That's right.

F***in' right, dude.

MICHEL:

Dun-da-da-dah!

DOCTOR:

Let's see.

All right, this is it, guys.

There you go.

[INDISTINCT DIALOG]

DOCTOR:

We're gonna do

most of the work.

Give me a deep breath.

Give me a little half push.

There we go.

All right, no more.

Let's go straight up,

Steve. Ready?

Straight up.

Hold right here.

Ready? Watch this.

MICHEL:

He's little. Look at him, Steve.

DOCTOR:

Okay, Michel, look at your baby.

Look at this baby.

Look at that beautiful baby.

All right, Steve,

get your hand here.

We got it, it's okay.

There it is.

We got it.

You got it, I don't have it.

You got it.

You got a baby boy.

[LAUGHING]

You got a baby boy.

Wait, can you hold him?

I got him.

MICHEL:
I knew it was a boy.

WOMAN:
He's a Rivers.

That's my boy.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

I don't know

how to hold him.

I don't--

I don't think that's mine.

You don't?

I mean,

it doesn't even seem real.

[BABY FUSSING]

It was so easy.

WOMAN:

You did it good.

You were great.

STEVE:

Mick, you did great, dude.

I'm ready for number two.

[LAUGHING]

STEVE:

Well, okay.

STEVE:

Rivers and roads

MICHEL:

Rivers and roads

STEVE:

Rivers and roads

That's, uh,

Rivers Varisco Gleason,

your grandson.

Rivers. That's what you

named him, Rivers?

Yep.

What's his middle name?

Varisco.

Oh. Just like her last name.

[LAUGHING]

Rivers Varisco Gleason.

Rivers.

[LAUGHING]

All right.

[LAUGHING]

So are you at

the hospital?

Oh, yeah, dude.

Dad, we had the baby,

like, half an hour ago.

Half an hour ago.

Yeah, man.

What's up, Rivers?

You're right here.

Uh, all right.

October 20, 2011,

and this will be...

[CLEARS THROAT]

...my first video journal

where we're in it together.

How about that?

It's also the first

video journal where

I get to...

talk to you in, what,

the first person

rather than using pronouns.

Uh, I'm scared.

We don't know

what the hell we're doing.

Anyhow, the big thing is,

I'm writing a bunch about

what the word and the name,

and-- And what rivers

actually mean to me.

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