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Watch: Steve Gleason gets standing ovation at Congressional Gold Medal ceremony

New Orleans Saints legend Steve Gleason made American history on Wednesday, being the first professional football player to receive the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his efforts in promoting awareness of ALS, a degenerative neural disease he’s fought since 2011.

Gleason, 42, earned his spot in Saints history with a game-changing blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons, in the first game played inside the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. His continued rise in prominence after publicly advocating for research into ALS and raising funds to help others afflicted with it has only grown with time.