Many Westporters tonight attended an invitation-only Norwalk Bow Tie Royale 6 Cinema screening of “Gleason,” the emotionally powerful story of former New Orleans Saints defensive back Steve Gleason’s battle with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
.jpg)
Michel Gleason addresses an audience tonight at an invitation-only screening of “Gleason,” a feature-length documentary about her football husband’s battle with ALS. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com
After debuting to standing ovations at the Sundance Film Festival this year, the hit feature-length documentary was sold to Amazon Studios and Open Road Films in a unique partnership for a wide theatrical release beginning July 29.
Special guest for tonight’s screening was Gleason’s wife, Michel, who weeks after her husband’s 2011 diagnosis revealed that she was expecting their first child. Now no longer the sole caretaker of her husband, she appeared relaxed but a bit bewildered by all the attention now focused on her family’s very painful but gripping story.
“To see us on the big screen, it’s weird, strange,” she told the audience at the screening. At a reception afterwards at Westport’s Vespa Restaurant, she repeated “strange” and “weird” to describe her feelings about being involved in the Hollywood whirlwind of activities in advance of the film’s wide release.
Gleason’s disclosure that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis came five years after he had memorably blocked a punt on the night the Louisiana Superdome reopened for the first time after Hurricane Katrina. A statue outside the Superdome marks the football moment.
Steve Gleason watches his 4-year-old son, Rivers, play on his father’s tablet as his wife, Michel, looks on at their New Orleans home. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo
The film was compiled from a video journal that Gleason began as a gift for his unborn son after his ALS diagnosis at age 34.
It was expanded to chronicle his determination to get his relationships in order, build a foundation—www.teamgleason.org —to provide other ALS patients with purpose and adapt to his declining physical condition utilizing medical technologies that offer the means to live as fully as possible.
“In the beginning, Steve and I were in a big denial phase,” Michel told tonight’s audience. She said she wanted to do everything on her own, but soon found the job overwhelming and accepted help. “I got burnt out,” she said.
Now, she said, her husband has two or three people at their New Orleans house taking care of him, and she has more time for their son, Rivers, 4, and her recent artistic endeavors.
Looking back, the 5-foot-3, 105-pound Gleason said, “I cant imagine doing it again…I would have been in a loony bin.”
Westporter Mark Shapiro with Michel Gleason following tonight’s screening. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com
Two Westporters involved in “Gleason” and his foundation spoke at tonight’s screening.
Mark Shapiro, an executive producer on the film and chief content officer with IMG Films, a division of the sports, fashion and media agency, introduced Michel Gleason. IMG was among the financers of “Gleason.”
“I knew this was something we had to do,” Shapiro said.
And Westporter Lois Backon, an executive with JP Morgan Chase & Co., was involved with hosting an opening night premiere party for “Gleason” at the Sundance Festival. Her company has also made a substantial financial commitment to Gleason’s foundation.
Lois Backon and her husband Marc are co-owners of the Pearl at Longshore Restaurant at Longshore Club Park.
