C.T.E. Found in the Ex-Giant Tyler Sash, a 27-year-old who passed away

When former Giants safety Tyler Sash was discovered dead on September 8 at the age of 27 from an unintentional overdose of painkillers at his Iowa home, his bereaved family was left with a lot of unanswered questions regarding the confusing last years of Sash’s life.

Sash, who was cut by the Giants in 2013 following at least five concussions, had returned to Iowa and was acting more strangely and erratically, according to family members this week. After leading the police on a four-block pursuit on a motorized scooter, Sash was arrested for public intoxication in his hometown of Oskaloosa. The incident culminated in Sash running away into a forested area.

Sash occasionally lost his memory, became confused, and threw small tantrums. Despite being a well-known figure in Iowa sports—as a popular star athlete at the University of Iowa and a Giants Super Bowl winner—Sash struggled to concentrate long enough to complete tasks, which prevented him from pursuing meaningful employment.

Tyler’s mother, Barnetta Sash, attributed a large portion of her son’s erratic conduct, which she had not previously noticed in him, to the potent prescription medications he was taking in order to heal a surgically necessary shoulder injury sustained during football. However, following his passing, she gave his brain for examination in order to determine whether he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., a degenerative brain illness brought on by repeated trauma that has been linked to the deaths of numerous former NFL players.

had been identified as being in Tyler’s brain, and that the illness—which can only be verified after death—had progressed to a degree infrequently observed in a person of his age.

The examination’s chief neuropathologist, Dr. Ann McKee, who also teaches neurology and pathology at Boston University School of Medicine, conducted the examination on Tuesday. She stated that the level of C.T.E. in Sash’s brain was comparable to that of former NFL star Junior Seau, who took his own life in 2012 at the age of 43.

Sash was in Stage 2 of the C.T.E. severity scale, which is ranked from 0 to 4 by doctors. McKee said she compared the results to those of other athletes who passed away at a comparable age.

Barnetta Sash stated on Monday night, “My son knew something was wrong, but he couldn’t express it.” It’s unfortunate that he suffered so much with this and didn’t know what to do with it because he was such a nice person.

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