TAMPA, Fla. — When you watch an NFL game you may notice some players wearing helmets with add on “Guardian Caps” and other protections to prevent concussions.
But new research proves repetitive head impacts are the root cause of CTE and long-term brain damage.
Now some parents, who lost their sons to CTE, are on a mission to make football safer for all athletes.
“That boy was so loved by everybody that touched him. I just miss him. I miss him so much,” said Bruce Parkman.
Parkman lost his son, Mac, to suicide at just 17-years-old. He had no idea of Mac’s mental illness until his son posted a video right before he took his life.
“He said that he'd been suffering from schizophrenia for two years, depression for three. And that boy hid that like nobody's business,” explained Parkman.
After his passing, Mac’s brain was diagnosed with CTE or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Parkman believes the repetitive hits to his head from playing back-to-back contact sports, which began in elementary school, is to blame.
“Mac started wrestling at six, and he played every wrong sport there was. He played rugby, he played hockey. Then he became an avid wrestler. He loved wrestling so much,” said Parkman.
But that is not all. Living in Colorado Mac was also snowboarding and playing football with no break during any season.
“You cannot put a human being's brain through years of repetitive impacts and not expect consequences,” explained Parkman.
So, in honor of Mac, Parkman started the Mac Parkman Foundation to bring awareness to CTE. He wants to change school rules, so no child plays contact sports until high school as their brain is still developing.
“The pre-frontal cortex of the brain. Nobody knows, especially your brain person is the last part of your child's brain to develop. It starts at 14. until 14 it's not even myelinated,” explained Parkman.
The concussion legacy foundation which researches CTE agrees. The nonprofit has a goal to “Convince every sport to eliminate repetitive head impacts under the age of 14 by 2026, so we can eradicate new cases of CTE.''
Parkman believes part of that success also relies on eliminating tackling during all practices and only allowing the physical impacts for game days.
“80% of the damage that's done to a kid's brain, an athlete's brain takes place during practice. The NFL doesn't do contact during practice game season. Why are all our high schools practicing? Why are the middle schools practicing? It's unnecessary brain trauma,” said Parkman.
“He was larger than life. It just was so surreal. It is still so surreal to imagine and to realize, you know, that he's gone,” said Tatyana McCall Wembley.
Wembley’s son Ray Lewis III nicknamed “Ray Ray” loved the game of football and started playing in elementary school. He was inspired to play by his dad NFL legend and Hall of Famer Ray Lewis.
Ray Ray eventually played college football at The University of Miami Coastal Carolina University, and Virginia Union University. He also played semi-pro indoor football for the Wyoming Mustangs.
Then tragically at 28 years old, Ray Ray died from an accidental drug overdose.
“The research has shown that 40% of the kids or the young people that have passed, and have had CTE passed from suicide, and 15% from accidental overdose. This is a sub symptom of the disease,” said Wembley.
But Wembley admits he suffered with brain issues for awhile before his death.
“Never saw any signs of, like, you know, violence or aggression or that type of thing. But just erratic behavior, forgetfulness, memory issues and complaining of headaches,” explained Wembley.
After he passed away, The Boston University CTE Center confirmed Ray Ray had stage 2 CTE.
“That was confirmation for me that I could not let his life be in vain. I could not let the mistakes that I made as a mother, with putting him into contact sports too early prematurely, go unsaid,” said Wembley.
In honor of her son, she started the Ray Lewis III Foundation or RL3. Now Wembley’s on a mission to spread awareness about CTE and educate parents that brain trauma does not just come from football.
“It's any type of contact sport! So even soccer, the head butting of the ball can cause those repetitive head impacts. Boxing, wrestling, cheerleading, even. So, all these different opportunities to be exposed to repetitive head impacts do take place in contact or collision sports,” said Wembley.
She has also teamed up with Parkman to create The Mac Parkman and Ray Lewis III Act. They’re requesting new legislation that warns parents of young athletes about repetitive head trauma. Representative Kimberly Davis is sponsoring the bill.
“We just want to add one more form regarding informed consent, so that parents are aware that through repetitive head impacts, they can expose their children to CTE in later years, and what that really means,” said Wembley.
Wembley knows she can’t bring Ray Ray back, but she’s determined to honor his legacy.
“We just want to help other families find ways to play it safely, so that 22 years later, they're not burying their children,” said Wembley.
Parkman is also turning his pain into purpose in honor of his son.
“Mac is now the catalyst of a movement right now that's saying we love our sports, but we need to do better! And we're going to make that happen in our son's name,” said Parkman.
Both parents have more information on CTE and how you can get involved on their foundation websites.
You can learn more about The Mac Parkman Foundation here.
You can learn more about the Ray Lewis III Foundation here.
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