Gleason Page #7

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The drugs I take don't work.

I have no faith that I can heal.

I have no hope. None.

No hope whatever.

I want to punch

something, but I can't.

The only thing I can do

is scream.

[SCREAMING]

DREW BREES:

"On Monday,

September 25, 2006,

"Steve Gleason

was responsible for

"one of the most

dramatic moments

"in New Orleans Saints

history.

"He blocked a punt

in the first quarter

"of the team's return

to the Superdome

"following hurricane Katrina.

"That blocked punt,

that season,

"symbolized the rebirth of

the city of New Orleans."

Amen.

[APPLAUSE]

Yesterday, about five minutes

after I got home

I pooped all over myself

and my wheelchair.

And I think it's crazy

that I can go from

people saying,

"You're my hero,"

to having to be helped

onto a toilet

with my pants full of sh*t.

It's an incredible example

of polarities,

and dichotomies,

and juxtapositions

that is my life.

Happy birthday,

dear Rivers

Happy birthday to you

[CHEERING, APPLAUSE]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[]

WOMAN:

When you blow out,

you gotta blow out

hard and fast,

'cause it's measuring

how much you get out

in one second, okay?

A normal breathe in.

Suck in.

Now blow, push!

Push. Push, push, push,

push, push push,

push, push, push, push,

suck in big.

That's terrible.

Uh-oh, we're not

accepting that one.

It's supposed to

look like that.

When did you get this?

You didn't have this

last time when I saw you.

A few weeks ago.

That's so cool.

This setup I have

costs $6,000,

but others cost 20k.

[MOANS]

[BABBLING]

[MOANS]

Alligator.

Mom.

Alligator.

I love him.

Ah. Daddy.

[LAUGHING]

Say it again, bud.

Daddy.

Daddy.

Daddy.

Daddy.

[BABBLING]

I love him.

[BABBLING]

I love him.

[BABBLING]

Rivers, I want to

talk about obstacles

in adversity.

No matter what,

how wealthy you are,

how poor you are,

we all face adversity.

I do not want you to fail,

but I want you to

put yourself out there,

and available for

potential rejection.

In ways, I think,

that's how we succeed

because that's how we grow,

and that's how we

gain perspective.

When I'm wiser

And growing taller

I will see your way

When I've come to the

Places I'm goin'

I will know your ways

Oooh

Ooh, ooh, ooh

Ooh, ooh

Ooh, ooh, ooh

I can feel it hurt now

I can turn this pain plain

Try and see it clear

But I don't know

why it's here

No!

Whoa.

You can keep

the sound down

As long as you want now

Dude, yeah

You can push it on another

Damn, that man's

your brother

Oh-oh.

When I'm wiser

And growing taller

I will see your eyes

When I'm wiser

[LAUGHING]

And growing taller

I will see your eyes

When I've come to

the places I've been

I will know

MICHEL:

Yay!

[RIVERS SHOUTING]

[VOICES ON TV]

I wasn't sleeping

at night because I was

caretaking for Steve.

[VOICES ON TV CONTINUE]

And then, uh, the addition

of Rivers getting

a little bit more needy.

It was hard doing that

plus taking care of a kid.

[TV continues]

At some point

put Rivers on my lap.

At some point

put Rivers on my lap.

Rivers, look at me,

You do not hit your mom.

You cannot hit your mommy.

You're going to go

to time out.

[CRYING]

All right, buddy.

Now you know you cannot

hit your mommy.

[CRYING]

You understand why

you were in there?

Because you hit me

three times.

You cannot do that, okay?

All right, bud?

People started saying, like,

"Michel, you need help,

you need help,

you need more help,"

and it's kind of like,

well, this has turned

into my purpose,

and I don't want to seem weak,

and, like, I see

other people doing it.

Can I get a pillow?

Come on now.

Honestly, I think the enormity

of what she's going through now

and dealing

with this situation

just takes all of her energy.

I still think

she's trying her best

to do as much

as she can for people

and especially for Rivers

and Steve and her family

and struggling just to deal

with the situation.

It's easier, almost,

to, like, make a difference

with the world

with this disease.

It's, uh, some face time

on TV or some speeches

or some Tweets,

versus, like, the reality

of the hardness it is

to maintain relationships

when you can't move

or help or talk,

and so we're just kind of

traveling like this,

like we're not separating,

but we're separated in what

we wanted to do with life.

WOMAN:

Tonight the federal

government is saying no

to some devices that give

people with disabilities

a voice literally.

MAN:

Recent changes

to Medicare and Medicaid

have limited

ALS patients access

to speech generation devices.

Team Gleason became

one of the only entities

that was giving

these speech devices,

so the people

that couldn't afford it

through Medicare anymore

still wanted to communicate,

and we wanted them to be

able to communicate,

so we just started fulfilling

all of our requests,

which meant it was 2

and 3 and 400,000 a month.

We were able to fill

every request

that people asked of us.

So much so that it's depleted

our money that we had,

so we're now actually going out

and beating on doors

and asking people

for money again.

WOMAN:

Former Saints team captain

Steve Gleason

and his foundation

organized a Gleason Gras,

a music celebration

at Champion Square

to raise money

and awareness about ALS.

When I say "Gleason,"

you say "Gras."

Gleason!

CROWD:
Gras!

Gleason!

Gras!

MAN:

Thousands gathered

to celebrate

the inspiring effort

of one man.

You've changed my life.

You're so great.

We went up to Washington

and met with the Secretary

of the Department of Health

and Human Services

and pled our case.

We hope to pass this law,

and once again Medicare

will pay for these devices.

[RIVERS FUSSING]

No.

Yes.

One bite of this,

and I'll give you chips.

We had no idea Steve was

just going to get bigger

and bigger and bigger.

I think with Team Gleason,

he's putting too much

into Team Gleason

and not doing enough

of his video journals

and stuff for Rivers.

I think

it's a balancing act.

We all have to balance things.

It's kind of his balance.

And it's a huge--

It's super-hard.

[SIGHS]

VOICE SIMULATOR:

This is the most

significant achievement

for Team Gleason to date.

[CHEERING]

What's going on here, Rivers?

See all the cameras?

You like it in here?

VOICE SIMULATOR:

Hey, Vavoom, what you doing?

What you doing?

Steve has wanted

to be a hero,

and it's amazing

that he has gotten--

And he is legitimately a hero--

Like, of a town

for blocking a punt,

and now, like, the face of ALS.

But people come up to me

and be like,

"Congratulations."

And you're like, "For what?"

Like, "What are you talk--"

Because, like, "What?

What do you mean?"

It's just such a--

This whole thing

is a huge mind f***.

STEVE:

It's important to me

that we do Rivers sandwich

and nose kiss every night,

Michel.

That's the only physical time

I get with him all day.

Okay.

You tried

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