Demaryius Thomas: Former NFL star extensive receiver recognized with CTE after his demise, mother and father say

Muricas News  — 

Former NFL participant Demaryius Thomas was affected by stage 2 CTE when he died late final 12 months, in response to his mother and father.

Katina Stuckey Smith and Bobby Thomas mentioned the prognosis got here after an examination of their son’s mind following his demise in December, in response to a information launch from the Concussion Legacy Basis.

Smith and Thomas mentioned instructed ABC News their 33-year-old son died of cardiac arrest attributable to a seizure dysfunction that led to his retirement from soccer in June of 2021.

CTE, often called continual traumatic encephalopathy, happens when the mind begins to degenerate probably as a result of repeated head traumas, in response to the Mayo Clinic. It has been discovered within the brains of people that play soccer and different contact sports activities, the clinic mentioned, and prognosis is presently solely doable via post-mortem by finding out sections of the mind.

Dr. Ann McKee, a professor of neurology and pathology at Boston College’s CTE Middle, studied Thomas’ mind and made the prognosis.

“We discovered what we’ve seen in so many different gamers beneath the age of 34,” McKee instructed ABC News. “On the idea of a number of lesions within the frontal lobes and temporal lobe are starting degeneration of deeper areas of the mind. He was recognized with CTE, stage two.”

She added: “CTE itself doesn't trigger demise. You don’t die from CTE. …What CTE does is it modifications your conduct and your persona.”

Thomas’ mother and father instructed ABC News they noticed their son coping with many CTE signs within the months main as much as his demise, reminiscent of paranoia, reminiscence loss and frequent complications.

“His temper would change, and he would additionally isolate himself generally,” Smith mentioned. “He was like, ‘Mother, I don’t know what’s happening with my physique. I gotta get myself collectively.’ And he mentioned, ‘I don’t really feel like myself anymore.’”

When docs began explaining the unwanted side effects of CTE, Thomas’ father mentioned “bells began ringing.”

“After they mentioned it, I used to be like ‘Man, he was doing that … He did that too!’” Bobby Thomas recalled to ABC News.

Smith mentioned they determined to donate Thomas’ mind for research as a result of it’s what he would have needed.

“At first, I didn’t wish to do it. I used to be in opposition to it,” Smith mentioned. “However then I remembered a dialog DT and I had the place he mentioned, ‘Mother, if something ever occurs to me, I would like to have the ability to assist different gamers.’”

Thomas is taken into account top-of-the-line extensive receivers in Denver Broncos historical past. He spent most of his profession in Denver, successful two AFC championships and Tremendous Bowl 50. The NFL star was additionally chosen to a number of Professional Bowls and is second all-time in Broncos historical past in receiving yards.

Thomas was traded to the Houston Texans throughout the 2018 season and later completed his profession with the New York Jets.

Muricas News has reached out to the NFL concerning Thomas’ prognosis.