Former NHL player Chris SimãoHis family is revealing the tragic details surrounding his sudden passing… confirming that the 52-year-old took his own life, and they believe it was the result of CTE.
The ex-executor’s loved ones released a statement through his former agent Paulo Teofano on Wednesday … saying they saw Simon show strong signs of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a brain disease caused by concussions and traumatic head injuries.
“The family strongly believes and witnessed firsthand that Chris struggled immensely with CTE, which unfortunately resulted in his death,” the statement read.
“We are mourning the loss of our son, brother, father, partner, teammate and friend,” the family continued. “The entire Wawa community is sharing our grief. We will not be releasing further details at this time and ask for privacy during this very difficult time. We thank everyone who shares in our tragic loss.”
As we previously reported, the hockey community was devastated by the news … and a flood of tributes poured in honoring the 15-year NHL veteran.
The NHL Alumni Association addressed the loss… saying, “Chris was never afraid to stand up for his teammates and played an integral role in the locker room. He was a dear friend, father, brother and son.”
Chris won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996… and played for several other teams, including the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames and New York Islanders.
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