Steve Gleason was mocked by an Atlanta radio show, prompting the radio station to fire its hosts. Gleason, a former New Orleans Saints safety, was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, losing most of his motor skills.
Radio station 790 the Zone said that three hosts were fired after they conducted an on-air skit that mocked Gleason, leading to a flurry of criticism from callers.
“We deeply regret the offensive programming that aired this morning on ‘Mayhem In The AM’ on 790 The Zone, related to former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason and his battle with ALS,” Rick Mack, the senior vice president of the station, said in a statement, according to a statement posted on the radio station’s Facebook.
He said the station “suspended the three individuals involved immediately following their comments and have since terminated their employment.”
The trio made fun of the former safety after he wrote the latest “Monday Morning Quarterback” for Sports Illustrated, showing what its like to live with ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It is also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
“My apologies to everyone. It was a stupid attempt at humor that backfired. Emphasis on stupid,” now-fired host Nick Cellini wrote on Twitter.
Gleason is now forced to communicate via a computer and is confined to a wheelchair.
