BOSTON (AP) — Former NFL star Demaryius Thomas, who died final December at age 33, had CTE, his household stated Tuesday.
Boston College CTE Heart researchers recognized the four-time Professional Bowl broad receiver with stage 2 persistent traumatic encephalopathy following a mind examine by way of the Concussion Legacy Basis. Thomas’ household launched the findings of the examine.
“As soon as I turned conscious of CTE and started to familiarize myself with the signs, I seen that Demaryius was isolating himself and I noticed different modifications in him,” Katina Smith, Demaryius’ mom, stated in an announcement. “He was simply so younger, and it was horrible to see him battle. His father and I hope all households be taught the dangers of enjoying soccer. We don’t need different dad and mom to need to lose their kids like we did.”
Stage 2 CTE is related to “progressive habits, cognitive and temper abnormalities.” Members of the family say Thomas developed despair, anxiousness, panic assaults, and bother together with his reminiscence within the years earlier than his loss of life. Stage 4 is essentially the most extreme stage of CTE and is often related to dementia.
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“Like so many who have gone earlier than, we discovered stage 2 CTE within the mind of Demaryius Thomas. The query I hold asking myself is ‘When will sufficient be sufficient?’ When will athletes, dad and mom and the general public at massive cease ignoring the dangers of American soccer and demand that the sport be modified to scale back subconcussive hits?” stated Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the BU CTE Heart and VA-BU-CLF/UNITE Mind Financial institution.
CLF co-founder and CEO Dr. Chris Nowinski organized the examine by way of Thomas’ household.
“The soccer neighborhood would don’t know why so many former gamers battle with neurological issues after their profession with out the households who say sure to mind donation, so I wish to thank Bobby Thomas and Katina Smith — and all households — for his or her belief in Dr. McKee and this workforce,” stated Nowinski, a former soccer participant at Harvard. “I hope it is a wake-up name to excessive profile present and former NFL gamers that CTE is rampant amongst them, and they should become involved in creating actual options. CTE needs to be their primary off-the-field problem.”
Thomas is one in every of greater than 300 former NFL gamers who’ve been recognized with CTE by McKee and the BU CTE Heart analysis workforce.
Thomas’ explanation for loss of life has not but been recognized. In 2021, Thomas started experiencing seizures. McKee advised ABC Information she believes the seizures have been resulting from extreme traumatic accidents off the soccer discipline, together with a automobile wreck and a fall on stone stairs.
“CTE itself doesn’t trigger loss of life. You don’t die from CTE. What CTE does is it modifications your habits and your persona,” McKee stated.
Thomas performed 10 seasons within the NFL for the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and Houston Texans. He gained a Tremendous Bowl with the Broncos and Peyton Manning following the 2015 season.
Thomas had 724 catches for 9,763 yards and 63 touchdowns.
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