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Former New England Patriots’ Aaron Hernandez took his own life in his prison cell back in April and left a note for his fiancé stating his reasons for doing so. But was it something medical related that caused him to actually commit suicide?
That’s what Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez believes.
His fiance is suing the NFL and the New England Patriots for not informing Hernandez of his condition, CTE, a disease that is known to affect football players due to the high impact hits they sustain during the game. Autopsy results revealed Hernandez had stage 3 of CTE.
This is a big deal because it is finally forcing the NFL to answer to the disease that they’ve consistently avoided to address in the media for years.
Via TMZ:
Aaron Hernandez’s fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez, says Aaron killed himself as a result of severe CTE he suffered during his NFL career — and she’s suing the the Patriots and the league for keeping him in the dark about the brain disease.
Shayanna filed the lawsuit in Mass. on behalf of the daughter she had with Aaron.
In the suit Shayanna says, “Aaron had stage 3 CTE usually seen in players with a median age of death of 67 years.”
Shayanna claims the NFL and the Patriots were aware of the link between suicidal impulses and CTE and failed to share that info with Hernandez.
She claims the NFL and the Patriots “were fully aware of the damage that could be inflicted from repetitive impact injuries and failed to disclose, treat or protect him from the dangers of such damage.”
In her suit, Shayanna says she and her daughter are seeking “redress for the loss of parental consortium she has experienced based on the negligent conduct of Defendants that deprived her of the companionship and society of her father, Aaron Hernandez.”
Shayanna says in her suit, “On April 19, 2017, Aaron succumbed to the symptoms of CTE and committed suicide.”
There has always been a link between CTE and the NFL but it’s been more or less phased out because of obvious reasons. But maybe this suit is what’s needed for the NFL to finally speak on the disease? Let’s not forget Giselle spoke on the same issue once but was silenced immediately.