The family of former football star, S Dave Duerson, have reportedly founded a new organization to help young athletes in Muncie, Indiana, the home of the former Chicago Bears player. The 11-year NFL veteran Duerson committed suicide in February 2011 while suffering from severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) believed to have been brought on from suffering years of concussions as a collegiate and professional football player.
His family, currently engaged in a lawsuit with the NFL, has founded the Dave Duerson Muncie Community Schools Athletic Safety Fund in order to prevent CTE in young athletes, according to the Chicago Sun-Times:
"The goal of the Duerson fund is that we’re committed to doing things to help the student-athletes in Muncie," said Bill O’Neil, a friend of the Duerson family. "One way or another, it’s going to happen."
Duerson and a growing number of other former NFL players have begun to blame the league for not better protecting its athletes. A class-action lawsuit against the NFL is currently underway, featuring players such as Super Bowl MVP QB Mark Rypien.
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