Former New Orleans Saints safety Steve Gleason continues to do amazing things in his battle with ALS. The 36 year old was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in January 2011 and has now lost most of his motor skills forcing him to communicate solely with a computerized device that lets him write and speak using only his eyes
Gleason took a stab at guest writing Peter King s Monday Morning Quarterback column for Sports Illustrated this week and the result which details his battle with the terminal disease his relationship with his toddler son and even his favorite bands of the moment is an outstanding read.
That didn t stop several morning show hosts from Atlanta s 790 The Zone from making fun of Gleason s condition Monday morning. The program s three hosts did a mock interview with Gleason imitating a robotic voice and poking fun at things that someone suffering from ALS might say. You can listen to the audio from the broadcast here.
UPDATE 790 The Zone has fired all three hosts.
A Saints message board first reported the segment which was then tweeted by Gleason s good friend and former Saints teammate Scott Fujita.
I m going to reserve judgement until I hear this morning s playback from 790TheZone. But right now I m enraged. http //t.co/39KYxJMZFo
Scott Fujita ( sfujita55) June 17 2013
For The Win reached out to Steak Shapiro the show s co host and station co founder via e mail but did not hear back. Another of the show s hosts Nick Cellini tweeted an apology but has since deleted his Twitter account.
The hosts of the show were fired after initially being suspended indefinitely news that was released in a statement from 790 The Zone Sr. VP and general manager Chris Mack.
Later the statement was amended to include that the hosts had been fired.
We re not sure if Shapiro Cellini or the show s other co host Chris DiMino have any kids of their own but here s a story Gleason shared that he crafted for his son Rivers to have once the disease likely claims his life. It s about the first time Gleason met his wife Michel.
Here is a story about me and mama as we were learning we loved each other.
One of the first times I knew I loved Michel was in 2004. She would regularly come over to my uptown apartment where Brendan and Kyle lived with me. Michel fell right in with us three which was next to impossible because we had been so tight for so long. I did not have a TV so we had a goofy routine of all sitting on my floor on the futon and listening to music while some trippy screensaver bounced around my computer screen. After several times coming over I made the mistake (I found out later) of telling her. I love having you over you are just like one of the guys.
Anyway one night in particular I remember us all lounging in the futon watching screensaver trippiness. As the music played I leaned my head over and rested it on Michel s lap. It was not calculated or forced it was comfortable. I do remember thinking something out of the ordinary. When Michel left that night I remember saying to Kyle and Brendan One of us better marry that girl because she is awesome.
We just fit together so well. We have ever since.
I love you Rivers. And I love your mama. From the Northwest from the deep South or from the stars. I love you both forever.
Enough said.
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