Ad Disclosure
Family of Richmond DB to donate brain for concussion research
Published:
The family of Gus Lee, a Richmond defensive back who was found dead in his car earlier this week, will donate his brain to concussion research, according to a report from The Washington Post.
Lee, who was a redshirt freshman, died from suicide by asphyxiation, according to the medical examiner. He was just 20 years old.
Lee’s brain will be donated to the Veterans Administration-Boston University-Concussion Legacy Foundation Brain Bank, where it will be studied for traumatic head injuries. Lee’s mother, Phyllis Lee, said her son suffered from concussions earlier in his life. He was also knocked unconscious in one instance and was unable to play football for several months.
“I just wonder if something happened,” Phyllis Lee said. “Because what he did was so out of character for him. It’s like, okay, wow, something has taken over this sweet kid that I never would imagine would do something like this. And that just led me to think if something had taken over him, maybe it’s his own brain that’s working against him.”
Phyllis Lee told The Washington Post that her son talked about being lonely and wanting to return home after Thanksgiving. He visited with a mental health professional the following day.
Lee played in 11 games for Richmond in 2018.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB