To counter the dark cloud of injuries that seems to be hanging over the world of wrestling (WWE in particular), let’s talk about some more positive medical news. Recently, Kevin Nash disclosed his plans to donate his brain to Christopher Nowinski’s neurological health research group, the Concussion Legacy Foundation. Now, two more wrestlers are stepping up and joining Nash. Considering that they’ve both made their careers on high-risk offense that throws caution to the wind, the CLF will definitely have some interesting data on their hands.
First up, there’s Mick Foley. A fan mentioned on Twitter that Foley should consider donating his brain, and Foley surprised his followers by revealing that’s he’s already planning on doing so. Here’s the exchange:
https://twitter.com/RealMickFoley/status/710252702589132800
If you were going to ask me for one name who could contribute the most to concussion science by donating his brain, Mick would be the guy. A career of unprotected chair shots around the world and a certain fall from the top of a cell in 1998 have no doubt taken their toll over the years, so the CLF will have a lot to work with. Joining Foley will be former WWE and TNA champion Jeff Hardy. In an interview with Ring Rust Radio, Hardy reveals that his wife pointed out Kevin Nash’s decision, which led him to the choice to do the same. From the transcript via Cageside Seats:
“My wife read where Kevin Nash announced that and I said, ‘Oh my God, I have to do that.’ I for sure will do whatever it takes and I would love to be a part of that. It’s a huge, serious issue in wrestling. I’ve rung my bells so many times, especially back in the day when chair shots to the head were legal. My goodness, I took so many of those. Luckily, I’m only aware of about two or three concussions that I have had, but there’s really no way of telling how many overall.”
I feel like I’ve said it before, but Chris Nowinski is really doing the Lord’s work with all this research. Wrestling will never be an injury-free matter, but we’re taking steps towards a future where unnecessary risks are eliminated and the freak accidents are treated with the care they deserve. Is it too early to talk about who should play him in the sequel to Will Smith’s Concussion?
