Less than a year after it was revealed he had the same lethal neuromuscular disease that killed baseball Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig, former Houston Oilers defensive lineman Glenn Montgomery has died. He was 31. ALS is diagnosed in more than 5,000 Americans annually.
Victims usually have a life expectancy of between two and five years.
In 1996, the year Montgomery was traded from the Oilers to the Seattle Seahawks, he was diagnosed with the disease. Word of Montgomery's illness first came last July. I'm very happy with the way my life is going up to this point. And I believe that everything happens for a reason. Maybe God chose me because he knew I'm strong, you know, a strong-willed person, and I just want to try to help a lot of people out there that have what I have.