Losing a Husband and Father to CTE | The Greg Lens Story

Greg Lens was an All-Conference defensive tackle at Trinity College before starting for the Atlanta Falcons in 1970 and 1971. In the last decade of his life Lens struggled with memory and behavioral issues. He died in 2009 and his brain was studied at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, where he was diagnosed with Stage 4 (of 4) CTE. His widow Carolyn Lens and daughter Sarah Naylor remember his nature as a gentle giant, and detail the ways CTE changed him and devastated their family.
If you have a loved one suffering from the symptoms of suspected CTE, reach out to the CLF Helpline at ConcussionFoundation.org/Helpline.
To learn more about CTE, visit the following resources:
Sign up for the CTE Resources Newsletter - bit.ly/2xrk886
Join the CTE Resources Facebook Group - bit.ly/2VqzPVV
What is CTE? concussionfoundation.org/CTE-...
Living with CTE - concussionfoundation.org/CTE-...
The Science of CTE - concussionfoundation.org/CTE-...
Subconcussive Impacts - concussionfoundation.org/CTE-...
Hope with CTE - concussionfoundation.org/cte-...
Brain Bank - concussionfoundation.org/CTE-...
Brain Donation Registry - concussionfoundation.org/CTE-...

[@ST-lt4ls]

This is very sad. My husband is a combat veteran. I recently took him to a new neurologist because of personality and behavior changes. He already had a confirmed TBI. I suspected FTD. The neurologist suspects its CTE. He has gone from the most easy going guy, to someone who is aggressive and mean. He flies off the handle at things that don’t warrant that kind of response. He is only 55.

[@ConcussionLegacyFoundation]

Hi there- We are so sorry to hear about your husband and hopefully the new neurologist provides some support. If you need additional resources, please reach out to our HelpLine at ConcussionFoundation.org/HelpLine.

[@untitle161]

Your husband is a hero because he served in the military. And now he has to go back though brain changes❤️🌹🌻🌻🌺🌺🌸🌷

[@marknorris3769]

my father coached and truly loved greg , i have only vague memories of greg , i was quite young , this is a horrible disease , i can't understand why anybody would allow a child to play this sport , as we now know there is literally zero safe level of brain trauma , i can't understand why high school football exists anywhere , i remember my father telling me greg passed , but i had never heard these heart breaking details , my father died in 2014 , he was 79

[@Lehanii]

Very sad. I'm starting to research all this after dating a rugby player in his 40's. After contemplating his behaviours many months later, I'm truly curious how CTE symptoms may actually become confused with and labelled as narcissism.

[@solidsnake8331]

Cte is serious. I don't know if you watched wrestling, but former wwe superstar had cte. I looked this up because my best friend, her husband now has cte and is totally different from when I 1st met him

[@creativeape8994]

Bro please come have some beans on toast with ne

[@michaeltiller782]

Would CTE cause dementia

[@user-hg9vy1kf3i]

Why attack someone with cte stage 3 my nephew had it

[@UltraViolent21]

Damnit I hate having this.

[@j.a.rathletics6883]

You have it

[@scottcharney1091]

Down with this awful sport.