Steve Gleason’s bedtime routine reveals a daily struggle most people never see

S teve Gleason shares what his bedtime routine looks like while living with ALS. The video shows his eyelids being carefully taped shut because he can no longer close his eyes on his own. It is a deeply personal glimpse of the help the former New Orleans Saints player needs to do something most of us take for granted: settle in for a night’s sleep.

It is an emotional scene, especially for football fans who remember him racing toward a punt in the Superdome. But Gleason has also spoken about what remains meaningful in his life. In an October interview with Good Morning America, he acknowledged the brutal days and described the joy of being with his family: “I get to love this life and the people in it.”

Steve Gleason’s eyes help him stay connected to the world

Steve was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, in 2011. The progressive disease affects the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement. Over time, it can take away a person’s ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe independently. The needs and progression of the disease vary from person to person.

For Gleason, eye-tracking technology provides a way to communicate and write. Looking at a screen allows him to select letters and build sentences. He used that technology to write his memoir, A Life Impossible , with journalist Jeff Duncan. The process gave him a way to tell his story in his own words, but it also placed considerable demands on his eyes.

In a 2024 feature published by the Saints, Duncan described how Gleason’s difficulty blinking and closing his eyes interrupted their work. His care team would help him take breaks, using eye drops and medical tape while he rested. The report establishes that this challenge predates the circulating bedtime video. It also explains why caring for his eyes matters far beyond sleep.

That context makes the nighttime scene more personal. His eyes allow him to share an idea, send a message and take part in conversations. The person helping him close them is tending to a part of his body that carries much of his connection to everyday life.

Many Saints fans first came to know Gleason through one unforgettable play. On September 25, 2006, he blocked an Atlanta Falcons punt during New Orleans’ first game back at the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. Curtis Deloatch recovered the ball for a touchdown. For a city still rebuilding, the moment became a lasting symbol of its return.

Twenty years later, Gleason returned for the team’s October 5 celebration with his family. His son, Rivers, pushed his wheelchair onto the field, and his wife, Michel, and daughter, Gray, joined them for photographs. The public celebration offered another view of the man seen in the bedtime clip: a father sharing an important night with his children and a former player still deeply connected to his city.

He has used that connection to help others. Steve and Michel founded Team Gleason after his diagnosis to support people living with ALS. The organization provides assistive technology, equipment and services, with the goal of helping people continue living meaningful lives. Its work recognizes that communication, mobility and access to care can change what someone is able to do each day.

Gleason continues to create, too. In his recent interview with Robin Roberts, he discussed Rebirth , a project pairing his poetry with New Orleans musicians. He also described life with a ventilator and the slow process of building sentences letter by letter. Those details make clear how much effort lies behind the words people hear from him.