Dave Duerson Autopsy Reveals a Vivid Picture of Suicide
Depression is a dark lonely place shared by millions. Where Dave Duerson's stemmed from will be a matter that the NFL should investigate.
Duerson is a two-time Super Bowl champion, and four-time Pro Bowl participant. He took his own life on February 17th from a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the chest. We now have more information as the autopsy report has been released.
Gus Garcia-Roberts of the Miami NewTimes reports:
He neatly laid out documents on the dining room table and on his bed. He also placed two framed certificates, framed medals, and a folded American flag at the head of the bed. Naked except for a gold necklace, he climbed into bed and pulled a green sheet up to his neck.
That is when a very proud man that still had football helmets and trophies in his closet pulled out a .38 Special. He pointed it at his very large chest, and pulled the trigger.
A bullet was found in his right lung. The report also states that he had "complained of memory loss and inability to spell" in the days leading up to his suicide.
Garcia-Roberts also reports:
He texted members of his family before the suicide, asking that his brain be donated to the NFL Brain Bank to see if he had a disorder related to playing-time concussions.
It is clear that Duerson was quite aware that he was losing his mind. He understood that he was not the same person that had played the game of football with frivolity and passion.
There is no question that the NFL needs to investigate this and other matters of its like further. It is not enough to attempt a decrease in concussion inducing hits. Those will always be a part of the game. We must find a conclusive answer to whether those concussions lead to erratic behavior later in life.
Perhaps some of these former greats can be saved from themselves in their twilight years. Just because they leave the game does not mean we should forget about them.
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