Steve Gleason Quotations

Because ALS is underfunded, patients have had no option but to fade away and die. That is not OK.

Life is difficult. Not just for me or other ALS patients. Life is difficult for everyone. Finding ways to make life meaningful and purposeful and rewarding, doing the activities that you love and spending time with the people that you love - I think that's the meaning of this human experience.

I believe happiness is a choice. Some days it is a very difficult choice.

If we have a purpose in life beyond being a cog in the human machine, mine is to help inspire people and that's pretty cool. I would like to motivate the world.

I have moments where I miss my old self. But I think anyone can get caught up in what we used to have. But at the same time, we can choose to focus on the beauty of now.

The film 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,' based the book of the same name, has a line that enlightens and comforts me. The protagonist, who has lost all ability to move except one eye, discusses his role as a father. He notes, 'Even a fraction of a father is still a father.'

I have been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). It's a terminal disease with an average lifespan of two to five years post-diagnosis, and scientists don't know what causes it. ALS prevents your brain from talking to your muscles. As a result, muscles die. As a result, every 90 minutes people die. I am a person.

Typing with your fingers or thumbs is sooooo 2012. I tweeted that earlier in the year. I type with my eyes. Not only that, I navigate my computer, create and play music, keep a calendar, conference call, lead web X meetings, text and, obviously, tweet with my eyes.

Does anyone know if Lamborghini makes wheelchair vehicles? If not, I want to change that.

I look at the human life like an experiment. Every new moment, every new experience, tragic or otherwise, is an opportunity to gain a more accurate perspective and helps lead me to clarity.

To cure ALS medically is not economical. The realities are that it's difficult to find funding for research for a medical cure. I believe in developing technology as opposed to medical research. Technology can be economical.

A terminal diagnosis can really mess with your head. Honestly, it makes you want to run away to the moon. Many ALS patients want to fade away quietly. This was not for me.

It's pretty simple for me; I believe all people are created equal, regardless of their sexuality. To promote respect and acceptance is an important role for NFL players and the NFLPA.

Many ALS patients end up fading away quietly and dying. For me, this was not OK. I did not want to fade away quietly.

To have a statue of you up 100 years from now at the Superdome, I think that's amazing.

ALS does not affect cognitive process. Stephen Hawking, one of smartest people on the planet, has ALS. It rarely affects the eyes. It doesn't affect senses like hearing, taste and touch.

I think about death all the time. I think that's a good thing because we're all going to die, and the only thing we can control is how we are and what we're doing in the meantime.

I think we pretty much know it's going to be a long road,

I think it's the coming thing, ... The whole Seattle bus system runs on it.

There are going to be ups and downs all year. One thing we all talked about, no matter how tough and frustrating it is for us to have no home games or be on the road for the next five or six months, it doesn't even compare to what these New Orleans natives are going through. It's our city. We see this as our opportunity to shine on New Orleans.

First hand, it's tragic. I think a lot of guys wanted to go back a couple days ago and just help, all we wanted to do was help somehow. Our opportunity is going to come when we can help New Orleans. Our job is to bring some joy to our city now that it is dispersed across the country.

We wanted to show the people of New Orleans that we were thinking about them, caring about them and, ultimately, wanted to win for them,

It would be premature for us to say more than that.

It's a great group of guys, ... This has really pulled them together.

I mean if they did it and they prove they did it, then I feel like they need to pay for it.

I'm just doing the things I learned in Spokane -- help your fellow man any way you can, ... And what I learned at Washington State from coach (Mike) Price -- it's not how you treat people who can help you that matters, it's how you treat people who can't help you. That's something he used to talk about all the time.

I'm not the one people want to ask, 'What went wrong?' ... But I'm used to it.

The increased rate of brain disease in the NFL population is caused by the way the game is played within the rules.

My life is not easy, but it's awesome.

We have all made mistakes in this life. How we learn from our mistakes is the measure of who we are.

We all face adversity and tragedy and need inspiration and motivation to Keep Rolling.

Through adversity we find our heroes...

We all have a timeline. Most of us don't live like we have a timeline.

I'm afraid to walk in public, because people look at me. But I'm not going to stop. I'm afraid because if I want to commune with my friend Shad (Meier), I have to ask him to cut my chicken for me. But I did it. And I'm afraid to go back and see my teammates and coaches because I know that I'll feel envy. But I'm going to do it anyway. Because fear is just a feeling, and if you can acknowledge that fear, digest that fear and overcome it, the rewards are incredible.

It's not going to be easy, but it's going to be awesome. Awesome Ain't Easy.