(Kevin Turner passed away on March 24, 2016. ALS was originally believed to be the cause of his death. However, per a Boston Globe report Turner appears to have died from CTE.
Of particular importance in report cited is the following -
"Former Patriots fullback Kevin Turner lived the last six years of his life believing he was dying from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
In fact, Turner, who
died in March at age 46, spent his excruciating final years stricken with a severe case of football-related chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, which caused a motor neuron disease similar to ALS, researchers at Boston University announced Thursday."
and...
"The BU CTE Center has diagnosed the disease in 91 deceased football players (CTE can only be diagnosed through postmortem brain autopsies) and dozens of athletes who played other contact sports, as well as military veterans."
(The text of the feature shown below was originally published on June 23, 2011.)
"What
does anyone want to do with their life, other than to make a positive
difference in this world?" - Kevin Turner
I
had a chance to speak with former NFL fullback Kevin Turner recently.
We discussed a wide range of issues, including the progress that he
has made since he first announced that he had been diagnosed with
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Role
models Our
role models are people who inspire us to be strong and to pursue our
dreams.
Beyond
family members and friends, there are other sources of inspiration.
Athletes stand on a stage that has been built by our modern society.
They play a role in influencing who we are and who we want to be.
Their choices strongly impact our culture.
The
traits that we hope our heroes have lie within 42-year-old Kevin
Turner. More than a year ago, the former football player learned that
he also had something else inside of him, ALS.
Amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis (ALS) is better known as Lou Gehrig's disease. It
is a progressive, neurodegenerative, disease that affects nerve cells
in the brain and spinal cord.
Each
person is affected differently by it. In some individuals the disease
slows, or seems to stop. In others, paralysis and a degeneration of
motor neurons eventually leads to death.
Old
school days
"I
remember being in the fourth grade, telling my teacher that I was
going to play in the NFL. After I got there, she sent me a letter
that I had written about wanting to become a football player,"
Turner said.
After
high school, Turner played college football for Alabama. He was then
selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 1992 NFL
draft.
Former
Patriot teammate Sam Gash
Sam
Gash was drafted out of college the same year that Turner was. Their
professional association and friendship began when both rookies made
the New England Patriots roster in 1992.
"We
fed off each other and it helped both of us in our careers. Kevin was
smart player who was always looking for the big play," Gash
said.
The
Penn State alumni played with Turner for three seasons in New England
and has remained friends with him ever since.
"He
exalted God because he put forth everything he had whenever he
stepped on the field, whether it was practice or in games.
"He
rightfully got a big contract with Philadelphia, because he was one
of the best all-around fullbacks in the League at the time,"
Gash said.
The
two-time Pro-Bowl fullback went onto to play for the Buffalo Bills
and Baltimore Ravens before retiring after the 2003 season.
In
mid-June, Turners foundation held a charitable event in Tennessee.
Gash was one of many people who was happy to help Turner in that
cause.
"He
is really an inspiration to me. Kevin won't back down from a
challenge. I still hear the same spunk in his voice when I talk to
him.
"Kevin
is the type of guy who will give you the shirt off his back. He has
my friendship for life," Gash said.
Turner
played for the Patriots until, as Gash referenced, the Eagles signed
him as a free agent in 1995.
Reflections
from Eagles Coach Juan Castillo
"Kevin
always handled himself in a professional manner on the field. I saw
how smart he was when I became a position coach," Castillo said.
Castillo
played outside linebacker for Texas A&I and then played inside
linebacker for the USFL's San Antonio Gunslingers in the mid-1980's.
After his playing career ended, he began to coach full-time.
In
1995, he was hired as an Offensive Assistant by then-Eagles Head
Coach Ray Rhodes and eventually became the team's Offensive Line
Coach. Current Eagles Head Coach, Andy Reid, named him Defensive
Coordinator during this off-season.
"As
we grew, there were some things that I think we did because of Kevin.
I thought it was amazing how he understood protections and blocking
schemes. We also had Deuce Staley at that time. Both guys were smart.
"Kevin
loved and understood the game. He would stay after practice and work
on run blocking, pass protection and cut technique. He would also
always help the young guys with their development and in the
classroom," Castillo said.
After
retirement
In
2001, Turner accepted an offer to be an Offensive Coordinator at
Wetumpta High School in Alabama.
"I
absolutely loved it. I got a thank you note from the quarterback of
that team back then. Recently, I received another note from him. He
thanked me for all of the things I taught him. Those notes mean the
world to me," Turner said.
After
coaching, Turner worked for three years with a real estate
development company in Birmingham, AL.
He
then formed his own development company in 2005 and worked with
retail corporations, including Dollar General, on land development
deals. While his business had been very successful, the collapse of
the real estate market forced him to declare bankruptcy in 2009.
Ever
resilient and adaptable, he smoothly transitioned into medical sales
before being diagnosed with ALS. Within the last year, Turner's
physical condition has left him unable to function well enough to
continue working.
Dr.
Sponaugle
Shortly
after his retirement in 1999, Turner continued to feel the physical
effects of his football career. That is when he became addicted to
pain medication.
Dr.
Sponaugle's program helped him to break his habit and allowed him
maintain a healthy lifestyle for approximately five years.
"In
2006, when I started taking pills again, I went and saw Dr.
Sponaugle. He was the first doctor that did a blood work up. He told
me then that my brain was not functioning properly.
"I
got off the pain pills, but had not taken the prescription that Dr.
Sponaugle had given me. Eight months later I was in his office again,
because I had relapsed. That is when he told me again that my brain
was not functioning properly."
ALS
diagnosis in 2010
Four
years passed. In May, 2010, Turner was diagnosed with ALS by a number
of different Neurologists that he met with. The condition was mostly
affecting his upper extremities and back at that time.
"I
first noticed that something wasn't right when I was playing my
guitar one day. My fingers weren't going where they were suppose to
go and I had played the guitar for 20 years."
"I
think that, over time, the hits that I took to the head changed a
lot about how my brain worked." - Kevin Turner
Sports
Legacy Institute
It
must seem as though the Alabama graduate is back in college, because
his experiences in the last year have been similar to enrolling in a
medical degree program.
Dr.
Robert Cantu is a concussion expert and a clinical professor of
Neurosurgery at the Boston University School of Medicine. He is one
of the prominent doctors that Turner has met with and is also the
founder of the Sports
Legacy Institute.
Cantu believes that Turner may have a version of ALS.
"I
decided to go public about my condition (in August, 2010) because of
the encouragement of Chris Nowinski and Dr. Ann McKee," Turner
said.
Both
are also connected to the Sports Legacy Institute. Nowinski is the
President and CEO and Dr. Ann McKee is a Neuropathologist.
"I
called Chris back in June, to let him know that I had just been
diagnosed. He told me that Dr. McKee was going to publish a paper in
August that linked head trauma with ALS."
Foundation
formed and music video recorded
Tamara
Alan, an attorney and friend from college, helped him to establish
the Kevin Turner Foundation. The foundation helps to raise funds and
awareness about the disease.
Country
music star, Ty
Herndon,
contributed to Turner's charitable efforts in a unique way. 'Journey
On', the title song to his Grammy nominated album, was written about
Turner and dedicated by Herndon to his foundation. The accompanying
music video also featured Turner and his children.
"I
had always wanted to do something like that and was glad that we had
the chance to. It is so great."
New
protocol
Turner
could have chosen to remain silent and to fight his health battle in
private. But, the former NFL player transformed his passion from one
public field to another when he decided to go public about his
condition.
Turner
worked throughout the spring of 2011 on a new health protocol. Doing
so allowed him to maintain his football playing weight of 235
pounds.
Medical
science is making progress in the area of head trauma, but it is
still a developing issue. Cutting edge treatments are being tested,
but true solutions are not yet available to the general public.
"Dr.
Sponaugle called me on November, 1, 2010, and said that I needed to
see him. So, every month I go to the Institute for at least a week.
I get intravenous medications that are mostly vitamins and
all-natural supplements that help get rid of toxins in my body."
He
said that he is not aware of any Doctor who is involved in the type
of work that Sponaugle is involved in.
Turner
undergoes significant testing at the institute. He reviews his
results and is informed of any recommended treatment adjustments. He
was at the Institute in Florida at the end of April and didn't felt
himself regressing after he received his treatments.
"I
didn't go there in May and I noticed that since then some things had
changed. Recently, I was trying to put gas into my car and I
couldn't pull the trigger on the pump with my fingers. That was the
first time that had happened."
Dr.
Sponaugle has worked with Parkinson's and Multiple Sclerosis
patients, but Turner is the first person with ALS that he has worked
with.
Turner
has considered many potential surrounding causes that may have
affected the development of his condition. He has also been told
that he has a highly abnormal marker point for Lyme disease.
Testing
for a concussion through a thumb print
"Head
trauma leads to ALS-like symptoms. I say that because it has been
documented in so many other people.
"I
think that, over time, the hits that I took to my head changed a lot
about how my brain worked. If you look at the football players who
have been diagnosed with ALS, all of them have come from collision
positions. Fullbacks, strong safeties, linebackers, special team
guys, they are the ones that have this disease."
Dr.
McKee taught Turner about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Her work
at the Brain Bank at Boston University allows her to study the
brains of many individuals who have suffered various forms of head
trauma.
"I
learned through a meeting with doctors, that there is such a thing
as a neurofilament that is released into the blood stream when the
head is traumatized. I believe that we will get to a point where
people will be able to be tested genetically so they can know what
conditions they are predisposed to."
Turner
wants to raise money to help fund various innovative ideas that are
currently being explored.
Developing
technology would allow players to be tested on the sidelines,
immediately after they have suffered a hit, through the simple prick
of a finger. Doing so would allow neurofilaments in the blood to be
measured to gauge the severity of any head trauma that has occurred
and to determine if remnants of a concussion existed.
Moving
forward
Turner
has overcome some financial and personal challenges within the last
year that were unrelated to his health concerns. He refused to
relent as he worked through bankruptcy and a divorce. His
determination helped him to weather those storms and has taken him
to a better place in life.
"I'm
as happy now as I have been in years. I know that I have gotten ALS
for a reason. I think God has a plan and this is part of his plan. I
have the right circumstances to make a difference in this world.
What does anyone want to do with their life, other than to make a
positive difference in this world?"
Turner
and his former wife have maintained a connection that benefits their
children. As a result, his relationship with them has remained
strong. His three children just completed a good year in school,
earning A's on their report cards.
His
oldest son, Nolan is 13 and has played football for a number of
years.
His
daughter Natalie is 10 and is a cheerleader. She is also especially
attentive to her Dad's health needs and helps him with any household
tasks that he finds difficult to perform.
"Certain
days I can do things better than others, like button my shirt. My
daughter helps me with things like that."
Cole,
his youngest child, is 8.
Going
back to Philly
On
January 2, 2011, Turner traveled with Nolan to Philadelphia to see
the Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys. The trip allowed him to talk
with players and spend time with old friends, including Juan
Castillo.
"We
spent some time together and I got to see his son move around a
little bit and catch the ball. He is a hard worker like Kevin was.
"When
you work together, it's important for people to know that you care
about them. It's a game, but it's also about relationships and
trusting each other. I have a lot of respect for Kevin,"
Castillo said.
Connecting
with the fans and with former colleagues has continued to play a
vital role in Turner's life. Whether it be a former Alabama fan, New
Orleans Head Coach Sean Payton, or a current player who also has the
condition, he offers advice to all who seek his input.
Working
on solutions
Turner
had only been aware of two concussions that happened during his
career. One came in 1994, with the Patriots and the other in 1997,
with the Eagles.
In
recent years the NFL has been addressing the issue of head trauma
through a number of rules changes, by placing informative posters in
locker rooms and through the creation of 'return to play'
guidelines. Turner knows the eduction process is key to awareness.
"This
month we have partnered with the ALS therapy alliance. At every CVS
store in the country, people will be able to make a $1 donation to
ALS research. On June 18, we had a fund raiser in Tennessee with
former players," Turner said.
When
asked what advice he would offer to football players of any age, he
responded with a comment about his youngest son.
"Based
on what I know now, I'm thinking about holding Cole back from
playing football this year. Maybe it's not the best thing to play
Pee-Wee football and I've been coaching it for the past six years."
Turner,
Turner, Turner!
Fans
of the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles heard Turner's
name mentioned many times when he was on their team back in the day.
These days, the father of three is out in front of an issue that
deserves focused attention.
When
medical breakthroughs happen, in the hopefully not-too-distant
future, certain prominent individuals will be recognized for their
positive efforts.
At
that time, the name Kevin Turner will be mentioned as one of the
people who helped to create solutions for a problem that needed to
be solved. That is what heroes generally do.
(All rights to this feature, which was originally published by the Yahoo Sports Contributor Network, are owned by the author, Sean O'Brien.)
Let's connect on Twitter @SeanyOB, through Facebook, or on LinkedIn.
