Former Rams Player Details Battle With ALS and it's Disheartening

Eric Stevens went from being a star fullback and captain at the University of California and joined the NFL's St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2013. His NFL career lasted just one season. In his post-NFL life he was a fireman. But sadly, the 30-year-old learned he had ALS a year ago.

In a moving story, Stevens recounted the troubling changes to his life since the 2019 diagnosis.

Shortly after marrying his college sweetheart, Amanda Glass, and joining the LAFD, Stevens had a joyous life planned for himself and future family. But that suddenly disappeared.

"I feel like there’s a 30-pound trenchcoat of water on me. Just heavy. It’s like I’m walking in quicksand," he told the LA Times.

The senior lifter of the year at the University of California has slowly lost his ability to walk, breathe, and live. Stevens tries to do what he can, maintaining a healthy diet and completing light exercises. But no matter what, "[t]he disease steals a little more each day."

ALS is a terminal illness, with a 2-5 year life expectancy, no treatment, and only a few medications approved to manage the grueling symptoms. Despite such dire circumstances, Stevens has embraced the challenge and become an advocate for ALS awareness.

Hashtags. GoFundMe. Videos. Fundraisers. Government Pleas. Like other athletes before, the Stevens have made a relentless push for a treatment to ALS, because as Eric states, "we are in a race against time." These efforts have become intensified amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Just as he has throughout his life, Eric has found the strength to fight the insurmountable challenge of ALS. "I'm grateful I'm still alive," Eric says.

Having that mindset and accomplishing so much in the face of death is a testament to how strong of a person Eric is.