by Bennet Omalu
and CTE, 173
dangers of, 263–64
hockey, 173, 204, 235, 277, 282, 283
Hoge, Merrill, 167
Hollywood, 233–43
Holy Spirit, 36, 48, 56, 57, 64, 74, 133, 175, 177, 195, 221, 238, 240, 254
Igbo people, 17, 22, 23, 25–26, 29–30, 34, 45–46, 49, 255
imPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), 193–94, 278
impact biomechanical loading, 146–47
impulsiveness, 175, 280
Indianapolis Colts, 171
Insider, The (film), 172
insomnia, 280
intellectual capacity, diminished, 175, 279
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 52–53, 57
Irsay, Jim, 171, 172
Isaiah 43, 55–56
isolation, social, 41, 202, 234
Jesus, 77–78
Jones, Jerry, 171, 172
Jos, Nigeria, 22, 23, 45, 63
Journal of Forensic Nursing, 229–30, 234
judgment, impaired, 266
Kamboh, Ilyas, 180, 184
Kansas City Chiefs, 191
Kimbell, Thomas, 112–18, 201
kinetic energy, 146
lacrosse, 235, 277, 282
Lagos, Nigeria, 56–63, 64, 160
Landesman, Peter, 16, 233–34, 238–43, 247, 248, 252
language, impaired skills, 280
Laskas, Jeanne Marie, 231, 233, 239
League of Denial (film), 27, 212, 238
less-impact, less-contact sports, 270–71, 282–83
Lodi, CA, 224–25
Lodi, NJ, 91
Long, Terry, 210, 213
confirmed to have CTE, 191
depression, 194
Omalu conducts postmortem interviews with family, 194
suicide, 187–88
Lou Gehrig’s disease, 274
Major League Baseball, 204
Marion, Donald, 183, 185, 188–89, 190–91
Maroon, Joseph, 191–92, 193–94
Mbatha-Raw, Gugu, 245, 246
McHale, Tom, 212, 213, 228
McNeill, Fred and Tia, 235–37
memory loss, 175, 234, 279
mental illness, 43, 123, 126
Mexico, 152–61
mild traumatic brain injury, 147, 165. See also concussions
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) Committee, 167–68
concludes concussions pose little risk, 170–71
concludes football doesn’t cause brain damage, 169
criticisms of Omalu’s first CTE paper, 188–89
criticized by Dr. Marion, 190–91
denies Omalu’s research, 214–15
Minster, Ryan, 180
mixed martial arts, 173, 235, 277, 282, 283
mood disorders, 175, 202, 234, 279, 280
motor function, impaired, 280
Muslims, 22–23, 49
National Basketball Association, 204
National Hockey League, 204
National Institutes of Health (NIH), 216–17, 237
National Republican Convention, 49–50
National Youth Service Corps, 46
Navarro, Carlos, 84–85, 95, 99–100, 101, 106
neurodegenerative diseases of the brain, 149
neuropathology, 189
neuropsychiatric testing, 278
Neurosurgery, 87, 167–68, 180–81, 182–83, 190, 195, 228–30, 234–35
Neurosurgical Focus, 234
New York City, 89–90. See also Columbia University
New York Giants, 182
New York Jets, 167
New York Times, 167, 196–97, 228
NFL (National Football League) accuses Omalu of falsifying research, 15–16
average career length, 203
chance players suffer from CTE, 15
changes haven’t removed danger of CTE, 275
claims better helmets answer to concussion problem, 195, 229
claims concussed players can return to play the same day, 170, 172
claims concussions are extremely rare, 168
class action suit brought against, 193
collaborates with helmet industry, 168
compared to cigarette industry, 163–75
concussions in 1994, 167
conference to explore risks of brain trauma, 214–15
connection with Neurosurgery, 182
cover-up of truth about brain trauma, 238
criticism of Omalu’s research, 214
criticism of Omalu’s first CTE paper, 188
demands retraction from Omalu, 87, 183–85, 188–89
denies blows to the head cause CTE, 281–82
doctors’ threats on Omalu, 205–7
financial stresses on players, 204
knowledge about dangers of mild traumatic brain injury, 165–68
median salary, 203
MTBI Committee (See Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee)
and National Institutes of Health, 216–17
strongly denies that players have CTE, 191–92
sued for disability payments for Webster, 193
NFL Players Association (NFLPA), 201
Nigeria, 17–19, 29–30, 38
civil war in, 23–26, 27–36, 45–46
gains independence from Britain, 21
Muslims in, 22–23
1993 election, 49–50
Nigeria, University of, 38–44
Nogales, Mexico, 152–61
non-accidental trauma (NAT), 279
Nowinski, Chris, 195, 196, 208, 212
Obasanjo, Olusegun, 160
occupational disease, 164
Omalu, Ashly, 240, 248, 249, 256–57, 258, 270
Omalu, Bennet
academic papers, 178–79
accepted at University of Washington, 53–54
accepts job in San Joaquin County, CA, 223–24
and Andre Waters, 204–5
applies for fellowships in forensic pathology, 100–107
applies to residency programs, 75–76, 78–79, 81–82
arrives in America, 67–76
arrives in Pittsburgh, 110
attacks after story in New York Times, 197
attends first football game, 259–61
becomes a father, 255–57
Bible reading, 226–27
birth and early life, 28–30
and Carlos Navarro, 99–100
children (See Omalu, Ashly; Omalu, Mark)
church life, 129, 133
conducts postmortem interviews with Terry Long’s family, 194
conducts postmortem interviews with Mike Webster’s family, 192–93
confirms that Terry Long has CTE, 191
considers entering PhD program, 74
continues brain research in Lodi, CA, 225
and Cyril Wecht, 110–11
decides there is no future for him in Nigeria, 50–51
decides to specialize in forensic pathology, 99
depression, 38–43, 69, 95, 127, 202
desire for justice for Mike Webster, 185
doubts about Christianity, 77–78
and education, 19, 31–33, 75, 220, 226
effect of Andre Waters’ death on, 202–3
encounters racism in America, 70–74
externship in Allegheny County, PA, 101–5
fails to match with residency program, 82–83
faith, 39, 54, 77, 83, 85, 175, 195, 253–54 (See also Holy Spirit)
family, 22–23, 30 (See also specific name)
father (See Omalu, John [Amaechi])
fears about the impact of his brain trauma conclusions, 148–49
fellowship at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 111
fellowship in Allegheny County medical examiner’s office, 111–18
fellowship in neuropathology, 143
first autopsy, 93–95
first court case, 110–11, 112–18
first CTE paper, 149�
��50, 179–83
first exposure to America, 33–34
first exposure to football, 34
and Father Carmen D’Amico, 132–33
gets U.S. visa, 55–63
gives CTE a name, 164–65
goes to medical school, 38–44
and GQ magazine, 231
as immigrant, 151–61
job in Allegheny County medical examiner’s office, 119–28
joins faculty at University of California, Davis, 226
makes promise to use power God gives him, 36
making of Concussion, 233–43
marginalization of, 73, 227–30
meets Prema, 129–36
membership in medical organizations, 217–18
Mike Webster’s autopsy, 120–28
mother, 19, 20–21
in National Youth Service Corps, 46
NFL demands retraction after CTE paper published, 87, 183–85, 188–89
and New York Times, 228
paper accepted by Journal of Forensic Nursing, 229–30
paper rejected by Neurosurgery, 228–30
part-time jobs, 79–82
passes USMLE, 54
pathology residency at Columbia University, 84–85, 88–97, 106–7
Play Hard, Die Young, 207–8
prayer, 42, 57, 61, 100, 157–58, 159–60, 251, 253–54
presents Mike Webster paper to AANP, 215–16
proposes joint research project with NFLPA, 201
proposes to Prema, 136–37
publications, 234–35
puts trust in God, 52
quits Allegheny County medical examiner’s office, 219–20
reaction to Concussion, 245–47
reasons for being shunned, 215–19
receives scholarship from IARC, 53–54
receives threats after going public about CTE, 192
reconnects with Cyril Wecht, 246
refuses to let his children play contact sports, 258, 261
reluctance to be a doctor, 37–38, 46–49
resigns from emergency room job, 63
search for self-identity, 109–18
as security risk, 160
signs over rights to life story, 233
strives for perfection, 110
struggles with temptations, 95–97
studies slides of Mike Webster’s brain, 139–41
submits paper to Neurosurgery, 180–81, 195
threats from NFL doctors, 205–7
tries to engage University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in CTE research, 200
trust in God, 128, 161
value of sports to children, 257–58
visa renewal, 151–61
and Cyril Wecht, 104–5, 153, 213
and Will Smith (See Smith, Will)
wishes he never met Mike Webster, 213
works as emergency room physician, 52
works to become American citizen, 219–20
writes paper about Andre Waters, 228
writes paper about Mike Webster, 163, 179–83
Omalu, Caroline (Chiwude), 19, 20–21
Omalu, Chizoba (Edwin), 22, 23, 31, 35, 37
Omalu, Ikem (Ignatius), 22, 57, 60, 61, 63, 64–65
Omalu, John (Amaechi), 17–26, 35–36, 75, 248, 250–51
belief in power of education, 18, 19, 32, 75, 226
birth of Bennet, 28–29
caught in civil war, 23–25
life in Jos, 45–46
Omalu, Mark, 240, 248, 249, 256–57, 258–59, 270
Omalu, Mirian (Mie-Mie), 22, 30, 35, 37, 158–59, 160
Omalu, Prema, 129–37, 157, 161, 206, 209, 240, 245
becomes a mother, 255–57
becomes American citizen, 249
at Concussion premier, 250–52
miscarries, 220–21
move to Lodi, CA, 224–25
Omalu, Uchenna (Henrietta), 22, 43, 54, 63
Omalu, Winnifred, 22, 54, 56, 63–65, 96
Oyesiku, Nelson, 235
paranoia, 280
Parkinson’s disease, 280
pathology, 76, 92–95. See also forensic pathology
PBS, 27, 212, 238
peer review, 181, 201
Pellman, Dr. Elliot, 167, 189–90, 190–91
People magazine, 265
perfection, 33, 110
personality, changes in, 175, 202
Philadelphia Eagles, 202
Pittsburgh, PA, 71, 110, 124. See also Allegheny County medical examiner’s office
Pittsburgh Steelers, 124, 142, 187, 191–92
Play Hard, Die Young (Omalu), 207–8
post-concussion syndrome, 126, 169
poverty, 91–92
prayer, 42, 57, 61, 100, 157–58, 159–60, 251, 253–54
prejudice, 70–74, 92, 133
presumptive diagnoses, 235
prisoners, 265–66
PTE (Post-Traumatic Encephalopathy), 174, 274, 280
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome), 228, 234, 237
punch-drunk syndrome, 145, 190, 214
racism, 70–74, 92, 133
radiological markers, 236–37
reasoning, loss of skills, 280
refugees, 25, 28
relationships, inability to maintain, 280
research funding, 181–82, 200
risk-taking behavior, 194, 266, 280
Romans, book of, 266
Roosevelt, Theodore, 165
Rozin, Leon, 101–3, 111
rugby, 173, 235, 277, 282, 283
Sash, Tyler, 191
Schwarz, Alan, 196
scientific process, 178, 181
Scott, Giannina, 238, 239, 241–42
Scott, Ridley, 238, 239, 248
Scott Free, 238–39
Seattle, WA, 57, 70–74
Seau, Junior, 237
seizures, 280
sexual assault, 266
sexual improprieties, 175, 266, 280
shaken baby syndrome, 279
Shakir, Abdulrezak, 100–101, 187, 195
Simpson, O. J., 173, 265–68
slavery, 72
Small, Gerald, 228
Smith, Will, 16, 27, 109–10, 218, 239–40, 242–43, 245–48, 250–52
soccer, 235, 267, 271, 277, 282
Social Democratic Party (SDP), 49–50
social withdrawal, 41, 202, 234
Sony Pictures, 238, 241, 248, 249–50
spongiosis, 140
sports. See also specific sport and children, 257–58, 270–71
Sports Illustrated, 167
St. Benedict the Moor church, 129, 133, 220. See also D’Amico, Carmen
Stern, Robert, 212
strangle proteins, 140, 143
stress responses, exaggerated, 175, 202, 280
Strzelczyk, Justin, 210, 213, 228
subconcussive blows, 169, 274
substance abuse, 175, 280
suicides, 175, 280
Andre Waters, 202, 205
Chris Benoit, 208–9
Junior Seau, 237
in military veterans, 234
Terry Long, 187–88, 194
Super Bowl, 88, 167
tackling, 272, 283
Tagliabue, Paul, 182
tau proteins, 140, 143, 144, 145, 148, 179, 188, 190, 236
Taumark, 236–37
Taylor, Altie, 228
Telemachus, 177–78
tobacco industry, 163–75
Tofa, Bashir, 49
touch football, 273
traumatic brain injury, 127, 128, 265. See also concussions
Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndromes, 281
truth, standing for, 268
United States Information Service (USIS), 56–58, 60–63
University of California, Davis, 226
University of California, Los Angeles, 236
University of Nigeria, College of Medicine, 38–44
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 111, 149, 200
>
University of Washington, 53–54, 57, 69
USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination), 51–52, 54, 75
veterans, military, 228, 234, 237
Viano, Dr. David, 189, 190–91
violent tendencies, 175, 266, 280
visa, U.S., 51, 55–63, 151–61
visiting scholar program, 52, 56–58, 75, 76, 83, 151
Warren Commission, 104
Washington, University of, 53–54, 57, 69
Waters, Andre, 195–96, 204–5, 210, 213
becomes third confirmed case of CTE, 196
CTE symptoms, 202–3
Omalu writes paper about, 228
suicide, 202, 205
Webster, Garrett, 192–93, 212–13
Webster, Mike, 187, 191, 210
autopsy, 120–28
brain, 122–28, 190
and conformational intelligence, 48
death of, 14–15
and depression, 41, 126
Hall of Fame speech, 245
mental illness, 123, 126
never officially diagnosed with concussion, 169
Omalu conducts postmortem interviews with family, 192–93
Omalu meets, 16, 120–28
Omalu studies brain slides of, 139–41
Omalu’s desire to have justice for, 185
Omalu’s paper about, 163, 179–83
reason Omalu worked to find answers about, 40–41
symptoms after retirement from NFL, 125–26
Wecht, Cyril, 104–5, 110–11, 112, 124, 136, 142, 149
friendship with Omalu strained, 213
holds news conference about Long’s CTE, 191
investigated by FBI; indicted, 192
influence on Omalu, 153, 179
NFL demands retraction from Omalu, 183–85
Omalu’s paper about Webster, 180
reconnects with Omalu, 246
resigns from Allegheny County medical examiner’s office, 200–201, 219
Werley, Jonette, 126–27, 225
West Nile Virus, 178
West Virginia University Hospital, 210
Winfrey, Oprah, 233
Wolfley, Craig, 189
Wolthoff, David, 233, 238, 239
World Health Organization (WHO), 52
World Wrestling Entertainment, 208
wrestling, 167, 173, 208, 234, 235, 277, 282, 283
Yoruba people, 22, 49
Young, Steve, 167
* Bennet Omalu made this statement in real life, and it was said by Will Smith, who played Dr. Omalu in the movie Concussion.