Owen Thomas' Autopsy Shows Signs Of Disease
September 14, 2010 at 9:20 am
The Daily Pennsylvanian and New York Times report that an autopsy performed on Owen Thomas revealed that the Penn football player had an early form of a disease that could possibly be linked to his suicide in April. As the DP explains,
"The autopsy showed early stages of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which has been found in over 20 deceased National Football League players. Thomas’ case is the first to be confirmed in a non-NFL player, and Thomas is the youngest known football player to develop the disease."The story is receiving national attention because of its implications for the sport and safety. Thomas' family said they chose to release the information to raise awareness and encourage education about the dangers of head injuries.