Steve Gleason, Dawn Staley and Prince Harry to be Honored at 2024 ESPYs Awards
June 27, 2024
On Thursday, former NFL safety Steve Gleason, South Carolina women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley and Duke of Sussex Prince Harry were announced as the recipients of the Arthur Ashe Award, Jimmy V Award for Perseverance and the Pat Tillman Award for Service, respectively, at the upcoming 2024 ESPYs.
ESPN PR @ESPNPRESPN reveals special honorees for The 2024 <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPYS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPYS</a> presented by Capital One<br><br>🏆 <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGleason?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SteveGleason</a> | Arthur Ashe Award for Courage<br>🏆 <a href="https://twitter.com/dawnstaley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dawnstaley</a> | Jimmy V Award for Perseverance<br>🏆 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex | Pat Tillman Award for Service<br><br>Details: <a href="https://t.co/lM2q422k3f">https://t.co/lM2q422k3f</a> <a href="https://t.co/L5huowXM04">pic.twitter.com/L5huowXM04</a>
Gleason played seven seasons with the New Orleans Saints from 2000 to 2006 and retired from the NFL in 2008. He was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2011.
Steve Gleason - "Live Impossible" @SteveGleasonOver the past 13 years, I've been documenting our journey with ALS. My aim has always been to see if we can discover peace and freedom with a love of Life, in the midst of extreme adversity. Being recognized at The 2024 ESPYS is not just an honor, but a powerful platform to… <a href="https://t.co/gGYfuz7aJi">pic.twitter.com/gGYfuz7aJi</a>
Prince Harry is being recognized for "his tireless work in making a positive impact for the veteran community through the power of sport," per ESPN. Staley was also named the recipient of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance after leading the Gamecocks to a perfect 38-0 season and a national championship this year.
Since his diagnosis, Gleason has worked hard to raise awareness for ALS, which is a terminal disease that attacks the nervous system and has left him unable to talk, move or breathe on his own.
Per Saints reporter John DeShazier, Gleason received the George Halas Award from the Pro Football Writers Association in 2015 and was the subject of a documentary, Gleason, that was shown during the Sundance Film Festival the following year. He became the first NFL player ever to receive a Congressional Gold Medal in 2019 for his contributions to ALS awareness.
Gleason co-authored a book, A Life Impossible, which was released earlier this year and went on to become a best-seller. The book chronicles his life before and after his ALS diagnosis, and Gleason wrote it using solely his eyes with a keyboard that uses eye-tracking software.
The ESPYs will be held on July 11 and will be hosted by tennis legend Serena Williams.