NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – Steve Gleason thinks Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne is a stud. Surrounded by family and friends, Steve Gleason watched the Oscars Sunday night and after Redmayne won best actor for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in the “Theory of Everything,” he recognized those battling ALS around the world.
That’s when Gleason sent this tweet:
“Having an Oscar dedicated to those battling ALS was fitting, as Steve and countless others with ALS experience extreme physical challenges daily,” Team Gleason wrote on Facebook. “While it is incredible to have life with ALS in an Oscar-winning film, the brutality of the disease is incomprehensible unless directly exposed to it.”
“It is not ok that there is still no treatment or cure for ALS,” said Gleason. “It is unacceptable that significant resources have not been directed to accelerate critical research.”
Team Gleason goes on to say the estimated cost of living with ALS is $250K per year, and that means “living with ALs is often not an option.”
“ALS should not be a death sentence,” Gleason added. “While a few people like Stephen Hawking have lived for decades with ALS, 99.9% do not. Although awareness has recently been raised to a new level. A sense of urgency and outrage are desperately needed.”
Gleason was admitted to a New Orleans area hospital over the weekend. Team Gleason said he is doing much better and planned to head home Monday night.