Daffney Unger, former WCW and TNA star, died in September due to an apparent suicide. The 46-year-old’s passing came after she posted some troubling videos online, leading friends to rush in an attempt to help her. Sadly, Daffney, real name Shannon Spruill, Daffney’s Cause of Death Officially Revealed by Medical Examiner, though her final moments did reveal where her fears lay.
According to PEOPLE, Spruill was concerned about CTE and the effects of the brain condition on athletes who have struggled with concussions and injuries over the years. The autopsy report indicated as much, with the Gwinnett County Police confirming that the former pro wrestler “had suffered multiple concussions and was concerned about CTE.”
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Due to this confirmation, Spruill’s parents, Jean and Quentin, requested her brain be tested for CTE at Boston University’s Traumatic Brain Injury Center to be evaluated. Adding to her situation before taking her life, Spruill was also confirmed to have suffered from bipolar disorder and had not been taking medication at the time of her passing.
Spruill’s initial passing was revealed and confirmed by her mother on Facebook. Posting Sept. 3, she wrote that, “It is with great sadness I have to let you know that my daughter Shannon Spruill … Scream Queen Daff, passed away suddenly last night. Absolutely heartbroken.”
CTE has become a heated issue for athletes from all walks, with a focus on professional football players and wrestlers. The latter took the forefront after the murder-suicide of Chris Benoit and his family. Benoit’s brain showed damage consistent with CTE throughout. According to ABC News, the brain also “showed an advanced form of dementia that appears on the brain scan as brown clumps or tangles.”
This was consistent with those former NFL players that had been tested postmortem. “It was extensive throughout Chris’ brain,” Julian Bailes of the Sports Legacy Institute told the outlet. “This is something you should never see in a 40-year-old.”
Daffney’s age and career seemed to lend feelings that she was on this path as well, though not everybody affected by concussions or that steps inside a wrestling ring is affected by CTE. Discoveries made in the wake of tragic losses and shocking crimes led sports organizations across the globe to take concussions more seriously than prior belief allowed. At the same time, CTE became a topic all started to be mindful of when pursuing their sports career.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.
