Promising bull rider who was 'going through hell' before suicide suffered from CTE, researchers say

Ty Pozzobon and his wife, Jayd, who says she doesn't want to kill the sport of bull riding after her husband's death, but she does want to "helps "raise the awareness of the corroding and crippling side effects of concussions in hopes of bettering the sport of bull riding." less Ty Pozzobon and his wife, Jayd, who says she doesn't want to kill the sport of bull riding after her husband's death, but she does want to "helps "raise the awareness of the corroding and crippling side effects ... more Photo: Courtesy Of Jayd Pozzobon Photo: Courtesy Of Jayd Pozzobon Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Promising bull rider who was 'going through hell' before suicide suffered from CTE, researchers say 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

Researchers at the University of Washington posthumously diagnosed Ty Pozzobon, the 25-year-old professional bull rider who killed himself in January, with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a degenerative brain disease brought on by repeated brain trauma.

Pozzobon, who split time between Central Texas and his native Canada, is the first professional bull rider ever diagnosed with CTE.

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"Ty's passing has brought so much sorrow and pain to all, we hope everyone, specifically athletes understand that we need to educate each other with regards to head injuries, both short and long-term impacts," reads a statement from the Pozzobon family.

Jayd Pozzobon, the bull rider's former wife who lives in Gonzales, Texas, told mySA in February that doctors believed Pozzobon was suffering from CTE in the months before his death. He was suffering from "textbook" symptoms of the disease: anxiety, depression and mood swings, she said.

"He was going through hell," Randy Quartieri, a friend of Pozzobon's, said.

Prior to his death in January, Pozzobon made the decision to donate his brain to researchers at the University of Washington.

"It's an incredible gift," said Dr. C. Dirk Keene, an associate professor of pathology, of Pozzobon's donation. "It's the ultimate gift to science."

Keene and Dr. Christine MacDonald, an associate professor of neurological surgery, conducted an image-guided neuropathological examination of Pozzobon's brain and confirmed he had suffered from CTE prior to his death.

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In their statement, the Pozzobon family thanked the researchers at University of Washington and expressed their hope that the young bull rider's brain helps others suffering from CTE.

"[We believe] not to stop doing what you are passionate about but do it in a smarter way, and listen to both what the medical professionals tell you and what your body and mind are telling you."

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