Greg Johnson, the former NHL center and Nashville Predators captain who died by suicide in 2019, has been diagnosed with CTE, his family announced Wednesday through the Concussion Legacy Foundation.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused in part by repeated traumatic brain injuries, such as those experienced in contact sports or military combat. CTE can only be definitively diagnosed by autopsy of the brain after death.
Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center and leader of NIH-funded research into the disease, diagnosed Johnson with CTE, according to a news release from the Concussion Legacy Foundation. Dr. McKee said she was unable to determine the severity of Johnson's CTE based on his cause of death, according to the release.
The release noted that a postmortem CTE diagnosis should not be considered a cause of suicide. Suicide is “complex and multifactorial,” but traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been associated with suicide independent of CTE. The relationship between TBI, CTE, and suicide has not been formally studied, according to the release.
Johnson died on July 7, 2019, at age 48 in Rochester, Michigan. He left no suicide note, according to the Detroit News, citing a Rochester police report. The Oakland County, Michigan, coroner declined to comment on the results of an autopsy conducted at the time of Johnson's death, The Detroit News previously reported.
Johnson's wife of 22 years, Christine Johnson, said the CTE diagnosis was “breathtakingly surprising.”
“Greg's death shattered our world. We never suspected he was suffering from this disease,” Christine said in a news release. “As far as we knew, he experienced very few symptoms, but he spoke often about his concussions. I remember the moment he told me he was thankful the heart disease that forced him to retire would no longer take any hits. He knew his hockey career had had a profound effect on his brain.”
“When my father committed suicide, I had no idea what CTE stood for,” Johnson's eldest daughter, Carson Johnson, said.
“Now that I understand that the blows he took throughout his hockey career have caused brain damage, I want all athletes to understand the risks and I want the NHL to
“I want them to acknowledge its existence and do more to protect their players so other girls don't have to lose their fathers,” Carson said in a statement.
Mr Johnson's youngest daughter, Piper Johnson, added: “He was just the best dad ever and to lose him to suicide was unimaginable for us. It's absolutely awful, but we want to talk about it so other people who are suffering know they're not alone and that help is available.”
Johnson was selected in the second round of the 1989 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, but was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1993 before playing in Philadelphia. He spent the next 12 seasons in the NHL, playing for the Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks and Predators, finishing with 145 goals and 224 assists in 785 games.
A native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Johnson was also a member of the Canadian national team, winning a silver medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway, and won a gold medal with Canada at the 1991 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
Johnson played collegiate ice hockey at the University of North Dakota from 1989-1993.
He retired in 2006 after a physical examination revealed he had an irregular heartbeat.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
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