The impact of head knocks has been laid bare at an inquiry into concussion as the family members of affected elite AFL players have spoken out about the suffering they cause.
Anita Frawley, the wife of AFL champion Danny Frawley who died after he “drove his car into a tree” in September 2019, spoke about the “suffering” head knocks had on his mental state later in life at the public senate hearing into concussions and repeated head trauma in contact sports.
An autopsy of Mr Frawley’s brain found he was suffering from low stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – a form of brain disease linked to repeated blows to the head.
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Mr Frawley sustained an estimated 20 concussions during his career, including injuries that caused him to lose consciousness, suffer severe headaches and vision problems.
CTE can only be diagnosed after a person dies and is linked to mood and behavioural changes and occasionally cognitive and memory impairment.
Mrs Frawley broke down while addressing the inquiry when speaking about how her husband’s death continues to affect their family.
“My two eldest daughters both just got engaged, during the happiest moments of their life so far, the incredible sadness that their dad is not here to celebrate with them and to walk them down the aisle is always present,” she said through tears.
“Our lives will forever be touched by sadness even in our happiest times.”
She also revealed the physical toll that Mr Frawley’s mental health struggle and death had on her.
“… my heart gave way and I suffered Takotsubo, a broken heart disease that almost ended my life as well,” she said.
“The incredible stress of living with someone who has CTE, seeing how much my children were suffering and then the eventual suicide and loss which is too much for my heart to carry.”
The coroner found CTE was a “potential contributor” to the depression Mr Frawley experienced before his death, but said the degree of its impact cannot be concluded as it is impossible to establish at what point the disease began.
“Although CTE has long been associated with mental health symptoms including depression and aggression, no strong causal link with suicide has been established,” the Mental Health Investigator found.
Mr Frawley had stopped taking his medication in the months before his death, and his wife said his mental health had deteriorated further.
“I remember standing in our kitchen with fear in my eyes, looking at my husband and just thinking ‘I don’t know this man and who he is’,” she said.
“This is not the man I married, this is because the Danny I married loves life and lived it to the full.”
Ms Frawley said sporting bodies “need to act now” to prevent more people suffering like her late husband, saying the AFL needed to ensure that athletes are medically able to go back on the field after concussions and urged them to implement a “comprehensive health and support scheme” for those who may suffer from CTE.
“What could be of a higher priority for the competition than looking after the individuals on his shoulders the success of the game now stands.” she said.
