NC State Wolfpack: Erik Kramer is getting better
The NC State Wolfpack nearly lost one of their alumni last August when Erik Kramer attempted suicide. Now Kramer is on the road back and talking about his experience.
Former NC State Wolfpack quarterback Erik Kramer is perhaps only one of many former NFL players struggling with life after football. Fortunately Kramer’s story did not end when intended it to as the former player attempted suicide last year. He botched the attempt and therefore he is still with us.
His intentions were clear, as Kramer told the Detroit Free Press, and he had purchased a gun, written suicide letters to various family members, and he made the attempt to blow his own brains out in a hotel miles from his California home. He missed, piercing his tongue and sinus cavity but missing the brain.
Kramer survived though he spent some time in a medically induced coma. His ex-wife blamed the condition on the depression that Kramer had suffered after his final year with the Chicago Bears. Hearing of depression and suicidal thoughts after a football career rings one bell for me in the current day and age, CTE.
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Life did not help Kramer in his battle with depression. He lost his mother and his son in a two year span. That accelerated his decision making process on whether it was time to end his life. Having survived the attempt with minimal real damage to his brain, Kramer is now more at peace with himself.
Again the symptoms seem to speak to CTE as a possible root cause. Kramer’s interview with the Detroit Free Press does not mention the condition. Kramer himself believes that the roots of his depression existed outside of being a retired football player who had taken his share of hits.
Kramer seemed clearly uncomfortable assigning his issues to the football environment. His only concession on that point was that perhaps it had some influence, but he clearly believes the real issues were elsewhere. Root causes are sometimes hard to ferret out since they are usually more long term things. It is far easier to point to immediate causes as Kramer did in this interview.
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For now though Kramer is getting treatment and seems to be in a much better place. After all, the only Super Bowl era quarterback to win a playoff game for the Detroit Lions has a history of overcoming the odds.