Steve Gleason to receive Arthur Ashe Courage Award at The ESPYS for his work on ALS awareness

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Retired NFL safety Steve Gleason will receive the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at The ESPYS next month. The 47-year-old Gleason spent eight years in the NFL before retiring in 2008. Three years later, he went public with his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Gleason has advocated for people living with ALS through his nonprofit that successfully lobbied for The Steve Gleason Act, which ensures the availability of life-sustaining communication devices in the U.S. In 2019, Gleason was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his contributions to ALS awareness. Serena Williams hosts The ESPYs on July 11.