The family of Claude Lemieux is donating his brain to the Boston University CTE Center to research the long-term consequences of repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injury, his son Brendan has announced on Instagram.
The four-time Stanley Cup winner died Thursday by suicide, three days after he carried the torch into the Bell Centre ahead of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final between the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes. He was 60.
Boston University is recognized as a world leader in researching chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and the long-term effects of repetitive brain trauma in athletes, military veterans and first responders, with more than 70 per cent of the world’s reported cases of CTE held by the CTE Center. The centre also houses the UNITE Brain Bank, the world’s largest tissue repository focused on traumatic brain injury and CTE.
Lemieux was a 20-year-old rookie with the Canadiens in 1986 when he won his first Stanley Cup, and he went on to a 21-year career with the National Hockey League.
“The family has also given permission for the CTE Center to identify Claude by name in connection with his donation and any findings it may publicly share in accordance with its research protocols,” the Instagram post said.
The post said the family’s decision “is a gift to science, to athletes, and to future generations of families seeking answers. No conclusions should be drawn at this time regarding any diagnosis.”
The family said: “By allowing his name to be connected to this research, we hope his life can contribute to greater understanding, more honest conversations and better protection for athletes and families in the years ahead.”
The post continued: “Suicide is complex, and the family asks media and the public to discuss this loss with care, compassion and respect for those who loved him.”
Anyone in crisis or emotional distress can contact the Suicide Prevention Centre of Montreal at 1-866-277-3553.
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