Former Boston Bruins enforcer, longtime radio host Lyndon Byers diagnosed with CTE after death
· Yahoo Sports
Former Boston Bruins enforcer and longtime co-host of “The Hill-Man Morning Show” on WAAF, Lyndon Byers, suffered from CTE, the family of the longtime fan favorite revealed Thursday.
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Byers’ family donated his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center after his death last year.
Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center and chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System, said that Byers suffered from stage 3 (of 4) CTE.
““With stage 3 disease like Lyndon Byers had, individuals almost always report cognitive symptoms, and 50% develop dementia,” said Dr. McKee, said. “We thank the Byers family for this contribution to research, which brings us closer to our goal of diagnosing CTE during life and develop effective treatments for those still living.”
Anne Byers, Lyndon’s wife, said her husband’s personality changed toward the end of his life.
“He was so fun and vibrant but towards the end it got to the point where didn’t want to socialize or even leave the house,” she said. “He battled severe depression, had episodes of hallucinations, and his struggles with short-term memory loss made it difficult for him to navigate the day on his own. I will do whatever I can to make sure nobody else has to watch their loved one deteriorate like that.”
Byers’ family said they made the decision to donate his brain to raise awareness of CTE in the sport and to hopefully help more families.
“The NHL can do better to protect its players’ safety,” said Anne Byers. “Athletes deserve to know what head injuries can do so they can make informed decisions about their bodies and work in an environment that supports their health first.”
Byers played in Boston from 1983 to 1992, scoring 24 goals, tallying 42 assists, and racking up 959 penalty minutes, a testament to his toughness on the ice.
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