In an LA Times commentary on the flawed legacy of recently passed NFL great Jim Brown, longtime sportswriter Bill Dwyre tosses in something about Junior Seau that caused me to stop, sit up, and re-read it several times:
“…Seau, age 43, tortured by the brain-damaged effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, had shot himself in the chest so his family would have an undamaged brain to use for testing.”
Unless I’m misreading that somehow, it appears Dwyre is stating as fact something San Diegans (and the NFL for that matter) have never before heard — that Seau took his own life at least partly to ensure his brain could be used for research.
Such a statement is completely erroneous and highly irresponsible, while cruel to both Seau’s family and his legacy. No one knows what he was thinking in that tragic moment.
There’s been conjecture over the years, certainly. That’s just conjecture.
It’s one thing for suffering to leave a person without any semblance of hope. It’s quite another to suggest that Seau believed his brain being used for science was more important than the family with four children he left behind. We simply don’t know.
Dwyre is a great writer. But here he oversteps and gets it terribly wrong. He and the Times need to correct it and apologize.
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Jantz is the former CEO of the Grossmont Healthcare District. No, that doesn’t make him an expert in concussion related or mental health issues, but he’s had the privilege of working with really superb people who do. Jantz was also once a San Diego Chargers fan. He remains a Junior Seau fan.
Comments 2
If I remember correctly, that was brought out at the time of his death.
Thanks, The Eye.
As I noted, conjecture. Seau left no suicide note. As far as I know, there is no known factual basis to it.