In his life, Paul Green accomplished a lot. He coached the North Queensland Cowboys, who won the National Rugby League title in 2015. Paul played for five different National Rugby League teams over a 10 year period. And most importantly, he built a beautiful life with his wife Amanda and their children, Emerson and Jed. Now, after Paul’s suicide in August at just 49 years old, his wife is working to raise awareness of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which played a role in his death. 

According to an article in the Seattle Times, which was first published by the Associated Press, Amanda had watched as Paul struggled with increasing emotional distress and dysregulation. He was diagnosed with depression. But Amanda always felt like there was another underlying issue. Eventually, Paul committed suicide. After his death, he underwent a post-mortem brain analysis.

Professor Michael Buckland, who had a look at Paul’s brain, found a severe case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. In fact, shares the Professor, it was one of the most severe cases that he had come across. This suggests that Paul Green has sustained numerous and repetitive head injuries during his time playing rugby. 

On one hand, this has given some relief to Amanda and her family. She is now able to tell their children that Paul’s moods and changes before death were because he was sick. This has helped the children to come to terms with the loss of their father and what he was going through. On the other hand, losing Paul was deeply tragic. His death drives home the need for an increased understanding of CTE, its impacts, and how to implement better preventative measures in sports and other arenas.

What is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)? 

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition which doctors and researchers believe is caused by repeated head/brain trauma. CTE cannot be treated, but it can be prevented by avoiding repeated trauma. Those who have shown signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy include veterans and sports players, particularly those in contact sports such as football. Unfortunately, CTE is still not yet well-understood. More research is needed to better understand chronic traumatic encephalopathy. However, symptoms and characteristics that have been linked to this condition include:

• Changes in mood, behavior, and personality such as depression, apathy, confusion, erraticism, and aggression
• Memory loss
• Difficulty organizing thoughts or paying attention
• Poor balance and motor skills
• Progressive dementia

Want to learn more about this condition? Head to the Concussion Legacy Foundation.