Sports
Ex-Saints player Steve Gleason stable after being moved to hospital as Hurricane Francine made landfall
Former New Orleans Saints safety Steve Gleason, who is battling ALS, was stable after he was forced to move to a hospital as Hurricane Francine barreled down on Louisiana.
Gleason’s family wrote in a post on his X account on Thursday that he had been moved to Ochsner Medical Center with help from the New Orleans Fire Department.
Oct. 6, 2019; New Orleans, LA: New Orleans Saints former safety Steve Gleason watches the Saints play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. (Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports)
“For those who have asked, Steve was taken to Ochsner last night during the storm. He is now stable. We want to thank @NOLAFireDept first responders and @NewOrleansEMS for getting to us during unsafe circumstances and to the @OchsnerHealth staff for their immediate care,” the post read. “We will update everyone as soon as we know more. Thanks, the Gleason Crew.”
Gleason’s publicist Clare Durrett told ESPN that the player was suffering from a fever and had extremely low blood pressure and that his doctor had suggested that he be taken to a hospital. However, Francine was a Category 2 hurricane heading toward the state.
“They immediately stabilized him and transported him to Ochsner,” Durrett told the outlet. “He remains there and stable. He’s continuing to be treated, and we are hopeful Steve will do what Steve does and warrior through to get home as quickly as possible.”
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Oct 19, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason wears a halloween costume before a game between the New Orleans Saints and the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Caesars Superdome. Because Gleason uses a breathing tube, he can be wrapped with cellophane covering his mouth. (Matthew Hinton-USA Today Sports)
Gleason’s family then posted an update from the former player on Friday.
“ALS is a hurricane of a disease, and on 9/11 in the midst of Hurricane Francine, power outages, & sketchy phone service, hurricane ALS made landfall.
“Thank you for the powerful love and support from all of you.
“Celebrate this change to be alive and breathing.”
Gleason played seven seasons with the Saints from 2000 to 2006 and had 71 total tackles in 83 games.
October 23, 2005; St. Louis, MO: New Orleans Saints Steve Gleason is called for pass interference against St. Louis Rams Kevin Curtis (83) in the first quarter at the Edward Jones Dome. (Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports)
He revealed in 2011 that he was battling ALS. He was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in 2019 and the Arthur Ashe Courage Award earlier this year.
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If the Super Bowl marks the end of the NFL season, WrestleMania is when WWE’s year is over.
There is no offseason in WWE, and when waves of departures hit the company, it hits harder than a Gunther knife-edge chop.
Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Nikki Cross appear during SmackDown at First Horizon Center in Savannah, Ga., on May 23, 2025. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Fightful and BodySlam both reported several superstars who left WWE on Friday ahead of “Friday Night SmackDown.” Some wrestlers confirmed their departures on social media.
Those who left included: Alba Fyre, Aleister Black, Alex Shelley, Andre Chase, Apollo Crews, Bo Dallas, Chris Island, Chris Sabin, Dante Chen, Dexter Lumis, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Kairi Sane, Luca Crusifino, Malik Blade, Nikki Cross, Santos Escobar, Sirena Linton, Trill London, Tyra Mae Steele, Tyriek Igwe, Tyson Dupont, Zelina Vegas and Zoey Stark.
The WWE roster is loaded as it is with several NXT stars getting called up this week.
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Sol Ruca made her presence felt on Raw on Monday when she challenged women’s champion Liv Morgan. The Fatal Influence faction of Jacy Jayne, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley took aim at the women’s tag team division on SmackDown on Friday. Ricky Saints and Blake Monroe also had vignettes for their upcoming appearances.
Meanwhile, former NXT champion Oba Femi has been on main WWE programming for the last few weeks and beat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42.
Kairi Sane enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., on April 13, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Aleister Black and Zelina Vega make their way to the ring during SmackDown at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 3, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE)
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It’s not the end of the road for any of the recent departures. Several former WWE stars have made waves elsewhere. Some have even returned over the course of time.
Pitching coach Gus Rico was having dinner on Thursday when head coach Matt Mowry of Birmingham High complimented him on closer Aidan Martinez recording all seven of his outs on strikeouts.
“I had no idea,” Rico said. “Everything is a blur when I’m calling pitches.”
Martinez is throwing some blurs these days after returning this season following Tommy John surgery in June 2024. He touched 92 mph with his fastball and has been improving each week, getting better command and walking fewer batters. He has 28 strikeouts in 15 innings and three saves.
Birmingham is one game behind El Camino Real in the West Valley League standings going into showdown week, playing El Camino Real on Wednesday at on the road and Friday at home. The Patriots need a sweep to have a chance at their first league title under Mowry, who prefers winning City titles.
With Martinez throwing so well, it would be a good strategy for opposing teams to make sure they are leading going into the last two innings.
“He’s got a bright future,” Rico said.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
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Earlier this month, Michigan defeated UConn in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game.
Shortly after the Wolverines captured the program’s first title since 1989, Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. announced he would enter the NBA Draft.
Despite declaring for the NBA Draft, Johnson has maintained his NCAA eligibility throughout the process. However, he has until May 27 to withdraw if he plans to return for his junior season.
Johnson played for Illinois during the 2024-25 season before transferring to Michigan last offseason.
Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. walks on the court against UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated)
After joining Michigan, Johnson quickly emerged as a key contributor, averaging the second-most points on the team. He also led the Wolverines in rebounding, averaging 7.3 per game.
Michigan head coach Dusty May eventually dubbed Johnson “The Enforcer” and “Junkyard Dog,” a nod to his tenacity on the defensive end. Johnson was named to the Big Ten’s All-Defensive Team.
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But Johnson’s offensive prowess didn’t take a back seat to his defensive strengths. His shooting from beyond the 3-point line showed improvement as the season progressed.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines cuts down the net after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 in the 2026 NCAA national championship game in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Many early NBA projections gave Johnson a first-round grade. It’s unclear how much name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation he would command if he returns to Michigan or transfers elsewhere.
Johnson has been active on social media, interacting with teammates as they consider returning to Michigan for another championship push.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after scoring in the second half against the UConn Huskies during the 2026 NCAA national championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
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Michigan added a key piece this week, with Jalen Reed transferring from LSU, On3 reported. Reed was limited during the 2025-26 season by an Achilles injury.
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