The family of former NHL player Chris Simon said they “strongly believe” the legendary enforcer suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and that his symptoms led to his suicide.
News of Simon’s death made headlines on Tuesday, but the details of what led to the 52-year-old’s death were not publicly known. In a statement prepared by the family and released through Simon’s former agent, Paul Theofanas, the former player’s loved ones said they believe CTE led to Simon’s death.
No. 12 Chris Simon of the New York Islanders tangles with No. 29 Todd Fedoruk of the Philadelphia Flyers at Nassau Coliseum on February 27, 2007 in Uniondale, New York. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
“The family strongly believes, and witnessed firsthand, that Chris suffered greatly from CTE and unfortunately died from it,” the statement read.
“We are grieving the loss of a son, brother, father, partner, teammate, and friend. The entire Wawa community shares our grief. We will not be releasing any further details at this time. We ask for privacy at this extremely difficult time. We thank everyone for sharing our tragic loss.”
#12 Chris Simon of the New York Islanders and #29 Todd Fedoruk of the Philadelphia Flyers face off in an NHL game at Nassau Coliseum on February 27, 2007 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Flyers 6-5 in overtime. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
During his 15-year career, Simon played for multiple teams, scoring 144 goals and 161 assists with 1,824 penalty minutes, which still ranks 67th all-time in NHL history. He won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.
