FORMER NFL star Aldon Smith died at the age of just 36 in tragic circumstances on Saturday – and now his family has shared a statement.
His former team, the San Francisco 49ers, revealed the news in a statement over the weekend.
The cause of death has not yet been released.
However, Smith’s family have decided to send his brain to medical experts in Boston to see whether chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) could be a factor.
His family has also brought in legal representation to assist with the investigation into his passing.
Attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers and Wayne Kendall put out a statement on Tuesday detailing the investigation.
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It said, “As with anyone who dies so suddenly at such a young age, we understand that there is a great deal of interest in and speculation about Aldon Smith’s passing and we intend to get to the bottom of it.
“To that end, we have taken a number of steps including sending his brain to Boston where medical experts will examine it for CTE as well as other damage caused by years of concussions and additional trauma.
“In the meantime, we simply ask you to keep Aldon’s family in our prayers and respect their privacy as they struggle to come to grips with this terrible loss.”
According to his family, Smith suffered numerous concussions during his NFL career, raising questions about the potential impact of repeated head trauma.
CTE is a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated blows to the head.
It has been associated with symptoms including mood changes, impulsive behaviour and depression, and can only be diagnosed after death.
Since the announcement of his passing, it has emerged that Smith was helping a homeless charity just hours before.
Amir Shirazi, a friend of Smith, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the 49ers star was delivering pizzas to a homeless charity on his final day.
He also stated that he found him slumped over in the front passenger seat of a pickup truck and called 911 when he realised something was wrong.
Source: https://www.the-sun.com/sport/16519401/aldon-smith-family-statement-after-nfl-star-death/
