Hockey fans worldwide had to wake up on Tuesday morning with the news of 52-year-old Chris Simon passing away.
“His children and family are grieving the sudden loss of their father, son, brother, friend and teammate.”, the NHL Players Association said on Tuesday via an email.
Chris, a professional Canadian left-winger, had many achievements, but his proudest was leading the Avalanches to a Stanley Cup win in 1996.
His recent demise has his former teammates, family, and friends in utter shock.
As fans do not know the reason clearly, they are linking Chris Simon illness, CTE, to be the main cause of his passing away.
Key Takeaways
- Chris Simon was a NHL player who was popular for being aggressive on the field.
- He married a total of two times and has 5 kids in total. Both marriages end in divorce.
- Doctors diagnosed him with CTE and also anxiety, PTSD, depression and arthritis.
The cause of Chris Simon passing away is not shrouded in mystery, and the suspected reason is sad!
Many fans on Twitter and Reddit think that Chris k*illed himself as a result of anxiety and depression.
Well, they are right. In a recent report released by his family, they have confirmed the nature and cause of the former NHL player’s death.
The statement said, “The family strongly believes and witnessed firsthand, that Chris struggled immensely from CTE which unfortunately resulted in his death.”
Twitter is now full of tweets from sad fans and ex-teammates mentioning how Chris was constantly battling with demons in his head.
They also mention how hard life is for former NHL players who retire due to injury and other incidents.
If you know someone who is going through difficult times, help them find the US Suicide & Crisis helpline here: Click to call
Chris Simon also had it rough. Back in 2017, Chris, a decorated NHL player, filed for bankruptcy.
He also mentioned that he could not continue following his passion for hockey due to the multiple injuries he garnered.
All the illness and injuries to the head while constantly battling with anxiety, depression, and other real-life problems might have led Chris Simon to take that step.
Also, Chris is not the only hockey player who has committed such an act. On March 18, a Belarusian player, Konstantin Koltsov, also died due to ‘apparent su*cide.’
All these players following the same path confirm the fact that life is not easy for retired players.
Chris Simon had a career full of injuries, illness, and a personal life full of setbacks
Chris Simon’s sporting career and personal life were not always a bed of roses.
Besides minor achievements and the Stanley Cup win, Chris did not have an easy and happy life.
He battled with alcohol addiction at a very young age, but his coach, Ted Nolan, pulled him back to sobriety.
The Ex NHL enforcer married two times, but both resulted in failed marriages. His first wife was Lauri Smith, with whom she had 1 child.
Later, Lauri accused Simon of evading child-support payments by hiding his earnings for several years.
At that time, he was with his second wife, Valerie, with whom he had four children. But, that marriage also ended in divorce in 2017.
Reports had that he had custody of his only son from that marriage while Valerie lived with 3 of their children.
Moreover, his career [305 Points in 864 Games, 1824 Penalty Minutes] was riddled with suspensions.
As mentioned by his former teammates and opponents, Chris was scary on the field, and the league suspended him for a whopping eight times [for 65 games].
Regarding Chris Simon illness, the doctors confirmed he had Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a condition that results from multiple head injuries and trauma.
He was also a patient with anxiety, depression, arthritis, and PTSD.
FAQs
Chris Simon lived in his house, which was situated in Wawa, Ontario, Canada.
We can identify CTE by signs such as headaches, memory loss, irritation, and difficulty walking.
