That his life was cut short just as he was turning it around made Henry's story so tragic, Goodell said. I'm just proud of him. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Brown admitted that he really doesn't talk with players much anymore, but he couldn't get enough of hanging with Henry. He released weights of over 240lbs which when dropped strangled him to death. Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, Where things stand in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial, Dramatic police chase airs live during sheriff's radio interview in Florida, Alex Murdaugh testifies 4 years after fatal boat crash involving son, December 18, 2009 - Chris Henry 911 Call: Woman Reported Shirtless Man Beating on Back of Moving Truck (Pictures), December 17, 2009 - Loleini Tonga, Chris Henry's Fiancee, at Center of Storm; Homicide Detectives Look into NFL Death, December 17, 2009 - Chris Henry Dead: NFL Star Thrown From Truck During Dispute with Fiancee Loleini Tonga, Say Cops. He's sorry for them, apologized for them, and has done everything he can to make himself a better person. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. CTE can be pinpointed only by autopsy, and even under regular postmortem analysis, its effects are invisible. In the days following his death, the CMPD released two 911 calls regarding the incident. "We've all seen and experienced different sides of Chris, and with every side he showed us, we saw just how kind and gentle his heart was.". Players, however, admitted that Henry's death hits closer because he was a peer. "I'm worth the chance," Henry said, when he showed up the following weekend for a rookie minicamp. One witness told reporters that Henry said, "If you take off, I'm going to jump off the truck and kill myself.". It's painful to us. CHARLOTTE, NC (CBS/AP) The 911 calls relating to NFL star Chris Henry's death following a fight with his fiance, Loleini Tonga, have been released by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police. Fantasy basketball: How concerning is LeBron James' injury? At the news conference, Glaspy said the results were a "big shock" because she knew nothing about her 26-year-old son's underlying condition or the disease. Copyright 2010 WBTV. UFC 285's Shevchenko by the numbers: It all adds up to domination, A battle for No. Jones career was reborn after Henrys passing, but he never stopped caring for the family his friend left behind. }, First published on December 23, 2009 / 9:27 AM. Chris Henry died from complications of severe injuries after falling out of the back of a pickup truck in what authorities describe as a domestic dispute with his fiancee Loleini Tonga, per the Associated Press. Henry was unresponsive at the scene andtaken to thehospital and lived for about 18 hours before he was declared brain dead. Charlotte is home to his fiancee's parents. Henry, 26, died on Dec. 17, 2009, a day after he either jumped or fell from the back of a moving pickup truck being driven by his fiance, Loleini Tonga. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Bengals players, coaches and members of the front office, as well as other NFL players including New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush, were among those who attended. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry has died, one day after suffering serious injuries upon falling out of the back of a pickup truck in what authorities describe as a domestic dispute with his fiancee. Henry was 26. Perry Mason, season 2 premiere (2020): Period drama. He's a good person. Henry, who grew up in nearby Belle Chasse, died Thursday, Dec. 17, after falling out of the back of a pickup truck driven by his fiancee, Loleini Tonga. After Henry's death, his mother, Carolyn Henry Glaspy, gave BIRI permission to examine his brain in detail. Henry seemed determined to stay out of trouble. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Concussive hits can trigger a buildup of toxic tau protein within the brain, which in turn can create damaging tangles and threads in the neural fibers that connect brain tissue. He'll be a soft-spoken, pleasant person.". "If you only knew him by hearsay, you'd think he's some kind of ogre," Brown said, during the Bengals' appearance on HBO's "Hard Knocks" series this summer. Witnesses told police Henry appeared to have jumped or fallenfrom the truck in which Tonga was driving. "While jumping from a moving motor vehicle would ordinarily be considered extreme risk taking behavior, it seems that an individual in the decedent's state of health jumping from a moving pickup truck bed at the reported rate of speed would not be sufficient for a reasonable person to believe that this would be an act highly likely to cause death," the report reads. Henry was 26. The Bengals rallied behind beloved defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer when his wife, Vikki, who routinely baked cookies for the team, unexpectedly died in early October. CINCINNATI -- It's interesting how tragedy can humanize someone. Read about Dr Mazhar Ali Khan death. "We'll miss Chris' sparkling smile.". Henry and Jones both played for the Bengals, but never together. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Legal Statement. "The brain floats freely in your skull," said Bennet Omalu, a neuropathologist who is co-director of BIRI. Photo: Loleini Tonga, fiancee of Chris Henry, holds their daugther, Seini. Throughout his career, his temper and poor decisions got him in hot water. And, just like with Belushi, his tragic demise in December 1997 turned into a police investigation after it was learned that a woman had witnessed the struggling star's final drug-fueled hours. His career seemed finished. "It's a very difficult thing with this loss of a young life that won't ever get to reach its full potential.". Watch more at http://www.theyoungturks.com Follow us on Twitter. All of the conversation at the Bengals training facility on Thursday -- and their wasn't much because of the widespread grief -- was positive reflection, but Henry shouldn't be canonized. He was 26. Everyone know me and Chris was best friends in college, Jones said. According to the autopsy, Henry's official cause of death was blunt force trauma due to that fall and it was accidental. No team showed an interest in bringing him back. "I'm worth the chance," Henry said, when he showed up the following weekend for a rookie minicamp. ", For years, the NFL and its affiliated researchers disputed scientific evidence linking concussions to long-term brain damage. He nearly sank a lot of people, especially himself. He also suffered several large abrasions on his back and shoulders. "It was something new to me. It's been nearly 12 years since Chris Henry passed away. It is still not clear whether Henry jumped or fell, but as Tonga was driving at about 19 mph, Henry crashed to the ground, suffering a fractured skull and massive head injuries. Bailes, a former Pittsburgh Steelers team doctor and currently the team doctor for West Virginia, said his quest is to make football safer. She also has a post from Tuesday talking about buying wedding rings. Researchers: WR Henry died with brain damage, The triumph of Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors in Creed III, Top draft prospect Carter charged in fatal crash, Judge OK's some Flores claims vs. NFL for court, More PGA Tour changes: No cuts, smaller fields, No. Finally, Chris himself died of asphyxiation and was found hanging by the cord of a weight machine in his basement. . But in the final month of the season he was arrested for marijuana possession. Bailes and his colleagues presented results of their forensic examination at a news conference Monday afternoon. A witness has said he heard Henry say, "If you take off, I'm going to jump off the truck and kill myself." Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Mecklenburg County medical examiner investigator Carol Cormier said they were expecting to receive the body later Thursday. Wake up to the day's most important news. In cooperation with Loleini Tonga, the mother of Henrys children and his fiance at the time, Jones has had a hand in raising Henrys boys and is now their adopted father. He got into top shape and worked out with teammates in the offseason, showing more resolve than at any point in his career. His brain was taken to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where a neuropathologic exam reveal he suffered a hemorrhage and contusional injuries. Lewis said a lot of Henry's issues were because of the folks he chose to surround himself with, especially those from his native Louisiana who counted on him to care for them, particularly after Hurricane Katrina. Panthers head coach Frank Reich came away impressed after a meeting with free-agent quarterback Derek Carr on Tuesday, but he said the team is still evaluating both veteran and rookie QB options. We all family. pic.twitter.com/nywSiFdGhv. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Photo: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, second from left, is comforted while viewing teammate Chris Henry before the memorial service. He was taken to Carolinas Medical Center inCharlottewhere he remained for 18 hours "before being declared brain dead" the medical report said. Alleged MySpace profile of his fiance: Click HERE. The accident occurred on December 16th as the 26-year-old was standing in the bed of a pickup truck driven by his fiancee, Loleini Tonga. UPDATE: Click HERE for more info about Chris Henry's funeral and click HERE for photos from the funeral. Then, they picked him in the third round. Play hard for him. Henry and Loleini Tonga also have a daughter, Seini . Henry was also an organ donor, and several of his organs, including his heart, lungs, liver, spleen and pancreas were all donated. Police said at some point when she was driving, Henry "came out of the back of the vehicle." CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) -The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner's office has released the autopsy report for Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry who died in north Charlotte last December. Photo: Chris Henry's funeral Dec. 22, 2009. File: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said. "I learned to handle all situations, so I'll be all right.". .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Developing By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. "For those who knew Chris, he was nothing like his public perception. According to a statement from the CMPD, the speed limit on Oakdale Roadis 35 mph. This is a downcast period for the Bengals, not only losing 27-24 against San Diego, but having to bury a friend and teammate. "He had worked through trouble in his life and had seemingly reached the point where everything was going to blossom, and he was going to have the future we all wanted for him -- and he wanted for himself. The report says Henry suffered several injuries to his head, including a skull fracture, hematoma and abrasions. Who is the player of the year in every women's college basketball conference? Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry died Thursday, a day after falling off a truck during a domestic dispute with his fiancee, a tragedy Bengals owner Mike Brown said "cut him down" just as. Palmer made some chuckle as he remembered Henry's friendly demeanor. Im still close with Loleini were inseparable. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He was a man just realizing his potential, not just in football, but in life". display: none; After only 19 catches and two touchdowns in 12 games in the 2008 season, he set about making himself a topflight receiver again. Researchers have now discovered CTE in the brains of more than 50 deceased former athletes, including more than a dozen NFL and college players, pro wrestler Chris Benoit and NHL player Reggie Fleming. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Henry died at 6:36 a.m. Thursday. Owner Mike Brown then brought him back a few months later, signing . As we previously reported, cops believe Henry a wide receiver on the Cincinnati Bengals jumped . he said. Henry is engaged to Loleini Tonga, and the couple has been raising three children. That's why I got it.". That was the Chris Henry nobody knew, player after player and even coach Marvin Lewis -- who grew sick of Henry's act in 2008 -- testified, in retrospect. According to the report, the truck was traveling at 19 miles per hour when Henry exited the truck. Teammates noticed a pronounced change in his demeanor. #inline-recirc-item--id-d434d30c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-d434d30c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { He was released by the Bengals the same day. They found that his demeanor didn't match his reputation. "His future as a husband and a father were important to him," Goodell said. "Superimposed on the acute brain injuries Chris suffered when he died, there was fairly extensive damage throughout his brain that was fully consistent with CTE. In six years of knowing each other through hard times, good times we loved each other very much," she said. No. Ex-Steeler Justin Strzelczyk, for example, was killed in 2004 after experiencing hallucinations, leading police on a high-speed chase for 40 miles before driving his car into a tanker truck. ", "I'm just trying to learn what happened, and what the situation was with Chris' brain," Glaspy told ESPN.com on Sunday. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "He has worked through troubles in his life and seemed to reach the point where everything would blossom and he would have the future we all planned for him," Brown said. March 1, 2023. Because those types of players have worked out great in Cincinnati. Medical examiner releases autopsy report for Chris Henry, N.C. With the Carson Wentz era over in Washington, Commanders GM Martin Mayhew says while Sam Howell will have an opportunity to be QB1, the team, Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy feels reinvigorated after taking over play-calling duties, calling it "the most fun I've had since I've been in Dallas.". Jones life has been filled with highs and lows since he first stepped onto the NFL scene, but this is undoubtedly a commendable move on his part. According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Henry and Tonga were arguing at a home owned by Tonga's family on Peachtree Road when Tonga attempted to drive away. ET. ", "I kind of felt like I dug myself out of the hole and started doing the right things," Henry said in an interview with The Associated Press as training camp opened. The two had been involved in a dispute before Tonga got into the truck and Henry jumped in. I just tell them I'm blessed. This occurred after he fell from the back of a moving pickup truck, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Tom McHale, a guard for three NFL teams remembered by teammates as smart and dependable, sank into depression and died of a multiple-drug overdose in 2008.