RIP, Kosta Karageorge

[dando]

The strange and tragic story about tOSU football player and wrestler, Kosta Karageorge.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/11960455/kosta-karageorge-ohio-state-buckeyes-found-dead

[RaceGrrl]

Sad story- from the start I had a feeling this would be the outcome. Too sad.

[Don Quixote]

:(

[TravelGal]

Tragic is right. I can only shake my head and think this young man gave his life to make "those in charge" and the public more aware than ever about the dangers of concussions. Shades of Junior Seau. With the hits they take in high school so they can get to a good college, you know it starts early. Did he play football then? Apparently no concussions from the college wrestling.

[dando]

Kosta walked on to the tOSU team in August. Previously was just on the wrestling team. Not sure about previous football playing in HS or before. To a man, nothing but praise for him from the current team members via Twitter. His body was discovered by a lady looking for scrap metal in dumpsters on Sunday. Trash pick up day was scheduled for Monday. Coroner to conduct autopsy including his brain, looking for signs of post-concussion syndrome. Seau is the most visible of recent football player suicides, but there have been many others in recent years (Dave Duerson, Mike Webster, etc.).

[cameraman]

These things are rarely that simple. He obviously had problems but no one anywhere has stated that he had an actual medical diagnosis of concussion-related brain damage and the team should have barred him from football if he had such a diagnosis. He sounds self-diagnosed and he could have had something completely unrelated that was causing his symptoms. Maybe it was concussions but there is a really good chance that something else was going on.

[dando]

Could well be, but I've read comments from fellow players that he was asked by them to 'take it easy' or 'sit down', but didn't report anything to the coaches or training staff. That's why they want to study his brain for damage. PCS is real...too many examples of NFL, NHL, college and HS football players that suffer from this.

[RaceGrrl]

The first news reports after Karageorge missed practice said that he had had an argument with his girlfriend. The family referred to "extenuating circumstances" in one story to explain why he left his apartment. We're not really seeing that in the stories now, but it does shed more light on what may have triggered him to suicide.

[rabbit]

After Seau's suicide, I worried about copycat syndrome, that players at all levels suffering from perhaps unrelated mental illness would be more inclined to commit suicide. I'm not saying this is the case with Karageorge or that PCS isn't a real condition or concern. But I fear that the narrative of football causing suicide is creating a sort of mental inevitability. I've dealt with suicidal tendencies myself in recent years. But thankfully I got help and have made some major changes in my life and no longer live in fear of suicide. I hope that as more is learned about PCS, these guys can start getting help too.

[dando]

The first news reports after Karageorge missed practice said that he had had an argument with his girlfriend. The family referred to "extenuating circumstances" in one story to explain why he left his apartment. We're not really seeing that in the stories now, but it does shed more light on what may have triggered him to suicide.

I missed those reports in everything I've seen/read over the past week, but it makes sense that something triggered the episode and going for a walk at 2:30am.

He was laid to rest this AM.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/11973251/funeral-takes-place-kosta-karageorge-former-ohio-state-buckeyes-player

The Buckeyes will wear #53 patches or helmet stickers to honor him this Saturday. There will also be a moment of silence at Lucas Oil Field.

[nrc]

After Seau's suicide, I worried about copycat syndrome, that players at all levels suffering from perhaps unrelated mental illness would be more inclined to commit suicide. I'm not saying this is the case with Karageorge or that PCS isn't a real condition or concern. But I fear that the narrative of football causing suicide is creating a sort of mental inevitability. I've dealt with suicidal tendencies myself in recent years. But thankfully I got help and have made some major changes in my life and no longer live in fear of suicide. I hope that as more is learned about PCS, these guys can start getting help too.

Agreed. I fear that it may become more comfortable for some to blame concussions rather than to confront other potential causes. Some with mental health issues may also take it as something that makes it "ok" to take their life because it seems less shameful for themselves and their family.