The NFL icon, O.J Simpson passed away at age of 76 from cancer and his family has recently made a decision about the donation of his brain for CTE research.
The decorated running back was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer and according to New York Post’s report, Simpson’s body is “expected to be cremated” on Tuesday in Las Vegas as per New York Post.
The family of the former icon who was involved in a trial related to the murder of his ex-wife and his best friend has given a “hard no” to the scientists who want to study his brain for possible CTE, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.
CTE is a degenerative brain disease which affects many football players who go through multiple concussions during their careers. The long-time attorney and executor, Malcolm LaVergne shared via NY Post, “With OJ everything’s wild, but I’ve been getting calls from medical centers that are doing CTE testing asking me for OJ’s brain . . . that is not happening.”
OJ Simpson to be cremated, brain won’t be donated for CTE research, lawyer says https://t.co/cyE51LQCEI pic.twitter.com/eTqEyHYGl7
— New York Post (@nypost) April 13, 2024
He further added, “I may consult with the children on it, but I haven’t heard anything about it, so it’s just not going to happen. OJ wants all of his body cremated for his children to do what they see fit.”
Simpson was considered one of the top-notch football players to play in the league and earned five Pro Bowl selections. He was also a five-time First-team All-Pro. In 1968, he won the Heisman Trophy and a year before that he won the national championship.
For the majority of his career he played with the Buffalo Bills and is also enshrined in their Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame as well. He was also inducted into multiple football Hall of Fames. Simpson’s image as a NFL legend took a hit in 1994 when he was detained and accused of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.
The trial was widely reported and gained a lot of attention. Later, as the case progressed, Simpson was not found guilty on both murder charges by a jury. The victims of the families took Simpson to civil court, during which they prevailed. Simpson was ordered to pay more than $33 million to the family of the victims.
In 2007, the former player was arrested under the charge of an armed robbery that occurred in a hotel in Las Vegas. The next year, he was sentenced to prison and was released in 2017 on parole.
