Former New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez commit suicide on Wednesday and his family has decided to donate his brain to Boston University for CTE research, per Hernandez’s attorneys.
#AaronHernandez's family is donating his brain to science for the study of CTE, per his attorneys.
— Bob McGovern (@BobMcGovernJr) April 20, 2017
Family of Aaron Hernandez is donating his brain to CTE research via Jose Baez. Will be given to Boston University CTE Unit.
— Meredith Gorman (@MereGorman) April 20, 2017
CTE, or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, is a degenerative disease that occurs due to repetitive blows to the brain and is heavily linked to those that have played football and other contact sports for a career. CTE can lead towards memory loss, dementia, and suicidal tendencies; former Patriots LB Junior Seau was discovered to have CTE after he commit suicide in 2012.
Boston University has the leading CTE research facility and found that 96% of deceased football players in their study suffered from CTE, which could be a rate three-times more likely than the general population. Hopefully a solution to such a severe problem can be found.