Documentary Style
NarrativeGleason
Brutal, honest, and life-changing. This intimate portrait of living with ALS is difficult to watch—but it will teach you more about courage and what matters than any film you've seen.
Year
2016
Type
film
Runtime
110 min
Language
English
Director
J. Clay Tweel
Genres
Summary
When former NFL player Steve Gleason was diagnosed with ALS at age 34 and given 2-5 years to live, he made a choice: he would live—fully, purposefully, and on his own terms.
What began as video journals for his unborn son became an unflinching five-year chronicle of facing a brutal disease with determination and grace. Through intimate footage that holds nothing back, we witness physical deterioration alongside fierce love, crushing frustration, humor in dark moments, and a mission to help other ALS patients find purpose and technology to live more fully.
This is not easy viewing—it's raw, uncomfortable, and heartbreaking. But it's also deeply inspiring, teaching profound lessons about what truly matters: love, purpose, and the courage to keep fighting.