Thursday the Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Junior Seau’s death was a suicide.
The 43-year-old NFL legend inside his Oceanside home from a gunshot wound to the chest, which the Medical Examiner determined to be self-inflicted.
Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Craig Nelson conducted the forensic autopsy, according to a news release from the county. The autopsy included a full inspection of Seau’s body and organs—and a host of laboratory studies, including a toxicology report and a microscopic examination of organs and tissues. The results of those tests will be part of the final autopsy report.
Researchers outside of the medical examiner's office may study Seau's brain for repetitive injury if his family consents, according to the news release. The family's decision is not known at this time.
After the death certificate is completed, Seau’s body will be released to the mortuary his family selects.
More details about this case will be released in the final investigative report, which may take up to 90 days to complete.
Seau played with the Chargers for 13 years before finishing his career with the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots. Seau is the Bolts all-time leader in tackles with 1,288. He also had 47 career sacks and 15 career interceptions for San Diego. In November 2011, he was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame.
Patch will keep you posted as the story develops.
While there is no doubt about the suspicious link between brain injury and depression and suicide, we are doing ourselves a disservice by jumping to conclusions regarding Seau’s death. Is it possible? Absolutely. Is it tragic? Undoubtedly so. But let us remember, it doesn't take repeated concussions to feel so trapped that suicide seems like the only option. The stigma surrounding mental health will not improve if the population at large still feels you need a reason, medical or otherwise, to feel depressed. Our collective leap to claim that repetitive injury is to blame for Seau’s suicide detracts from the larger issue. It takes a heartbreaking story about mental health and turns it into sweeping coverage about the dangers of violent physical sports. Albeit somber, we have an opportunity now to truly open our eyes to the reality of suicide—and we should take it.
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/150066145.html
suicide amount hockey and football players is far higher than norm and many feel that depression is one of the side effects of CTE
...howard cosell loved boxing ... until he realized what it did to the boxers...
Duerson was part of a six-man volunteer panel that considered retired players’ claims under the N.F.L.’s disability plan, in addition to the 88 Plan, a fund that has assisted more than 150 families caring for retired players with dementia since its inception in 2007. Duerson read applications, testimonies and detailed doctors’ reports for hundreds of players with multiple injuries, including those to the brain that in some cases left players requiring full-time care. He had to vote on whether these people received financial assistance. He was well versed on CTE and as his life deteriorated he understood that he was likely a victim of this disease.
This interview was done just weeks before the tragic loss of Junior Seau. He addresses the Dave Duerson suicide and states that a month prior there were no obvious signs of such despair from Duerson. A shocking quote from a Bears trainer back in the 80's to the local Chicago papers said that McMahon had suffered a concussion but it was cleared up by halftime. http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/39679/otl-jim-mcmahons-memory-loss