Connor Martin: What If His Brother Kevin Had Known the Risks of CTE?

Would Connor Martin's brother, veteran and athlete Kevin Ash, have lived his life differently if he'd know more about traumatic brain injury (TBI? Connor doesn't think so. As for Conner himself, he's going to continue being active but also more aware. Now that he knows the dangers he can try to make things safer when he plays.

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You know what, knowing about CTE on a more in depth level, say it happened now versus four or five years ago, just the way Kevin lived I don’t know that it would have changed too much about him. I think he would have taken it for what it’s worth, he would have taken it as some understanding as to why he was experiencing the feelings and emotions he was. But he was very passionate about living a healthy lifestyle, living an active lifestyle, participating in sports. I don’t know how much it would have, I don’t know how much it would have changed his outlook on life. He was just so passionate and driven to be an athlete and he was training for an iron man before the accident, he was active in the military. He lived a very active lifestyle, I have a hard time seeing my brother or thinking about my brother that he would have just kind of packed it in knowing about CTE you know. As far as me and the knowledge I have it definitely weighs in my head being a college athlete playing hockey, it’s definitely something that’s thought about and talked about with my fiancé and my parents and, but ultimately I’m the same way. I will make choices to protect myself and make myself aware but at the same time I’m not going to, I’m not just going to hang up my skates because of maybe a fear. I can be more educated about it and be more educated about maybe when that time might come as far as you know knowing where my own brain is at, any consults but you know just without, without proper consideration I’m not going to, I’m not going to hang it up. I’m going to live my life and… But that being said I’m going to be much more educated about my own situation and not put myself in a position that will potentially harm me for the rest of my life or end my life prematurely. This video was produced by BrainLine thanks to generous support from the Infinite Hero Foundation.

Posted on BrainLine June 15, 2021.

This video was produced by BrainLine thanks to generous support from the Infinite Hero Foundation.