Junior Seau found dead at his California home.

Death
On May 2, 2012, Seau's girlfriend found him dead with a gunshot wound to the chest at his home inOceanside, California. The death was ruled a suicide by the San Diego County medical examiner's office.[25] [26] [27] Seau had no prior reported history of concussions,[25] [28] but his ex-wife said he did sustain concussions during his career.[29] "He always bounced back and kept on playing," Gina Seau said. "He's a warrior. That didn't stop him."[30] Seau had insomnia for at least the last seven years of his life, and he was taking Ambien, a prescription drug commonly prescribed for sleep disorders.[31]

His death recalled the 2011 suicide of former NFL player Dave Duerson, who left a note asking his brain be studied for brain trauma.[32] [33] Seau's family considered allowing researchers to study his brain for possible damage[34] [35] [36] due to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition traced to concussion-related brain damage with depression as a symptom. Research candidates included the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy of Boston University and the Brain Injury Research Institute.[34] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-given_36-0" style="line-height:1em;">[37] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-37" style="line-height:1em;">[38] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-38" style="line-height:1em;">[39] The family did not disclose their final decision.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-moore_30-1" style="line-height:1em;">[31] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-given_36-1" style="line-height:1em;">[37] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-39" style="line-height:1em;">[40]

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