Eric Stevens, the former NFL fullback and Los Angeles firefighter, is living with significant physical limitations after being diagnosed with ALS in August 2019. Now 35 years old, he has lost nearly all of his physical independence and requires full-time assistance for every aspect of daily living. Despite this, those closest to him describe his spirit as unbroken, and he remains a visible advocate for ALS research and treatment access through his foundation, axeALS.
Eric’s Current Physical Condition
ALS has progressively stripped away the physical abilities that once defined Stevens’ career as a professional athlete and firefighter. He spends his days in a recliner or electric wheelchair and can no longer perform any tasks independently. Getting in and out of bed, dressing, showering, and all personal care require hands-on help from his wife, Amanda, or a caregiver. Simple movements that most people take for granted, like transferring from one chair to another or taking a few steps, have become extraordinarily difficult.
Each day brings new physical challenges. While ALS has taken away his ability to lift his children, run alongside them, or hold them when they’re upset, the bond with his family remains strong. His condition reflects a reality familiar to many ALS patients: the disease attacks motor neurons and progressively paralyzes the body while leaving the mind intact.
From the NFL and Fire Service to ALS
Stevens was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in May 2013. His time in the NFL was brief, spending part of the season on the practice squad before being released that October. After football, he pursued a second physically demanding career, joining the Los Angeles Fire Department as a firefighter. He was diagnosed with ALS in August 2019, when he was in his early 30s, a particularly cruel timeline for a disease that typically strikes between the ages of 40 and 70.
The speed and severity of his decline is not unusual for ALS. Most people with the disease experience a steady loss of muscle function over a period of two to five years after diagnosis, though progression varies widely. Stevens is now several years past his diagnosis, and his condition reflects the advanced stages of the disease.
The Fight for NurOwn and ALS Treatment
Stevens became one of the most prominent voices pushing for expanded access to NurOwn, an experimental stem cell therapy developed by BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics. The treatment works by taking a patient’s own stem cells, engineering them to produce protective proteins for nerve cells, and injecting them back into the spinal fluid. For years, ALS patients and advocates, Stevens among them, pressed the FDA to approve or at least allow broader access to the therapy.
That effort has seen a significant development. In May 2025, the FDA cleared BrainStorm to begin a Phase 3b clinical trial of NurOwn for ALS. The trial design was agreed upon under a Special Protocol Assessment, meaning the FDA has confirmed that the study’s methods and goals are appropriate to support a future application for full approval. NurOwn also holds Orphan Drug designation from both the FDA and the European Medicines Agency, a status that provides certain development incentives for treatments targeting rare diseases. A previous Phase 3 trial has already been completed, and this new trial represents the next step toward potential availability.
His Advocacy Through axeALS
Stevens channels what energy he has into axeALS, the foundation built around his story and his drive to accelerate ALS research. The organization raises awareness and funds, keeping public attention on a disease that affects roughly 30,000 Americans at any given time but has historically received less research funding than many other conditions of similar severity. His willingness to share the raw, unfiltered reality of living with ALS, the total dependence on caregivers, the loss of the ability to physically comfort his own children, has made his story a powerful tool for the broader ALS community.
For those following his journey, the picture is one of stark physical decline paired with remarkable resolve. Stevens cannot move independently, but he continues to be a force in the fight for better ALS treatments, and the progress of the NurOwn trial represents one tangible outcome of years of advocacy by him and others in the ALS community.