He propped up the head and. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Michael L. Webster was born March 18, 1952, in Tomahawk, Wis., and was reared on a 640-acre potato farm. I do actively seek out sons, daughters and family members of NFL players. Garrett shared his experiences of his late father, going through the initial stages of the NFL settlement, the familys relationship with the NFL/Steelers and the community of families who have similarly been affected by neurological diseases. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Money quickly became a problem. Two years ago, Webster's son Garrett moved from Wisconsin to live with him in Pittsburgh. But since he passed away, nobody in the family gets any more of that pension.. He had been receiving money from annuities and the disability paymentmuch of it went to alimony and child supportbut the IRS then garnished almost all of his income for unpaid taxes. [14], In his last years Webster lived with his youngest son, Garrett, who though only a teenager at the time, moved from Wisconsin to Pittsburgh to care for his father. Of the 22 players who were part of all four Steeler Super Bowl teams, Webster was the last to leave and the first to die. But when he died, I felt this calm come over me. Webster's wife Pamela divorced him six months before his death in 2002 of a heart attack at age 50. There is a problem with your email/password. In a rare move, they demanded a retraction. I looked again. According to CDC estimates,1.6-3.8 million sports and recreation related concussions occur in the United States each year. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Through interviews with former players, scientists and other experts on the concussion issue, it examines what the NFL knew about the risks of such injuries, and when it knew it. It was kind of like, whats the point of having something if its basically impossible for people to get a pension? That changed in 2002 when Omalu was assigned to perform an autopsy on the legendary. Please help us to continue bringing the stories that no one else is reporting by making a small contribution toward our operating costs. That was definitely hard but it was good too because I still feel this to this day my dad would have been fascinated by it and he would have been honored to be part of Dr. Omalus research.. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. [citation needed], At the time of his death, Webster was addicted to prescription medication. Im feeling good, the quarterback says, moving stiffly. We initially were not part of the settlement class, Webster stated. He didnt watch the games, he didnt know the teams, and he certainly didnt know the name Mike Webster. He couldnt concentrate, he had difficulty focusing, the conversation was rambling. Krieg adds there was no other explanation for Websters deterioration; the repeated banging of his brain against his skull had damaged the brains nerve cells. Finally, later that night he let Jani drive him there; doctors said hed had a heart attack. But Webster's transition to post-football life was filled with setbacks. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. It's sad.''. For years prior to his death, he battled symptoms resembling depression, dementia, and amnesia. Other players who retired because of the effects of concussion or other head injuries include Johnny Unitas, Roger Staubach, Merril Hoge, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Dave Pear, Wayne Chrebet, and Al Toon. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Learn more about merges. My dad was just shocked because he did so much for these people. He was 50. Struggles adjusting to life after football is a common issue with former players, and Webster, the last of the four-ring Steelers from the 1970s, had a tougher time than most. He played in 4 superbowls, All-pro 7 years, All AFC 5 times, and 9 pro-bowls. A couple of months later, they got ahold of the actual paperwork. On one occasion, Webster showed up at a game on crutches, with torn cartilage in his knee, played anyway and had surgery afterward. based on information from your browser. Players worry about ending their career, she says. You have to measure by what you started out with, by what you overcome. Webster's doctors said that the concussions Webster had in his career had indeed damaged his frontal lobe, causing cognitive dysfunction, and that his attention span and concentration had been affected. Pam Webster had to take a job as a waitress to support her family, and the couple ultimately divorced, shortly before Mike's death at age 50. [/pullquote]. After his retirement, Webster suffered from amnesia, dementia, depression, and bone and. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. He died at age 50, possibly from brain injuries sustained from his work. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a union rep for a long time. Webster recounts the frustration and struggles. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Greenwood 11 a.m. Monday, Steelers 2023 Pre-NFL Draft visit Tracker, Steelers ticket prices holding steady for 2023, Explaining the differences in ruling a touchdown in the NFL. The father and son slept on the floor, surrounded by pizza boxes. [dropcap]M[/dropcap]ike Webster grew up on a potato farm near Tomahawk, Wisconsin, where rooting for the Green Bay Packers was a religion. '', ''It doesn't get better,'' Krieg added. The weekend of the funeral, Harris went to see Garrett Webster play football and was impressed by the teenagers potential. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Why does the NFLPA Want to Stop Leaping Field Goal Blocks? He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, class of 1997. '', At the time, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Webster was ''homeless, unemployed, deep in debt, beset with medical ailments, lacking health insurance, in the midst of divorce, in the care of a psychiatrist and on medication, and involved in a complex lawsuit over real estate investments.''. In 1997, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, and in 2000 he was named to the National Football League's all-time team. Have you ever been in a car accident? the doctor asked. Growing up in Nigeria, Dr. Bennet Omalu knew next to nothing about American football. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Webster played center for 15 seasons (1974-88) for the Steelers and two seasons (1989-90) for the Kansas City Chiefs. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. NFL Player Accuses Union Leaders of Bad Faith C.B.A. '', During that same period, Dr. Fred Jay Krieg, a clinical psychologist, said Webster had ''the football version of punch drunk. ESPN investigative reporter Mark Fainaru-Wada and his brother, Steve Fainaru, have written "League of Denial," and recently spoke to NPR about it and the league's efforts to deny or at least continue to stall on confirming a link between repeated head injuries and CTE. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. His toughness made him a winner: He was voted onto the All-Pro team six straight years, won four Super Bowl rings, and joined the greatest players ever in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. ''I couldn't have been the player I was without him,'' Bradshaw said. He suffered football-related brain damage in 1999 and several behavioral disturbances were reported in the years after he retired.. ''If you finish, you won. Our piece addressed the role that the thousands of concussions Webster sustained during his football career affected his brain and contributed to his death in 2002 at age 50. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. In Will Smiths movie Concussion, the actor portrays the pathologist Bennet Omalu, who first revealed proof of footballs deleterious effects on players brains and published breakthrough papers in medical journals on the degenerative brain disease he discovered, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. And Webster's acceptance speech was emotional and prophetic. A lot of guys look back, and they love the game, says Harris. [10] Webster was posthumously elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. There's a broad definition of what living out of your car is. Why the Steelers shouldnt give up on Kevin Dotson. Effects of concussion are cumulative in athletes who return to play prior to complete recovery. Contact Us | He woke up Sunday morning, his lips were purple, he was sheet white, says Garrett. ''He was so smart, so prepared for everything we would face in a game. The second of six children, he didnt have an easy childhood: His parents divorced when he was ten, and a year later his home burned down, with Mike, his mother and siblings barely escaping the inferno. I had to be the dad sometimes., On a Friday night this past September, Webster went to his sons football game. [18], After death, Webster was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease. And responding to reports that he had lived in his car for 18 months, he told The St. Petersburg Times: ''From time to time, yes, I did sleep in my car and stay in my car. After death, Mike Webster was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative disease. Webster was honored as an All-Pro seven times and played in the Pro Bowl nine times. The cause of death was a heart attack, the Pittsburgh Steelers said. [7] Webster is also perhaps the best known of a long line of All-Pro centers for the Steelers. Send Flowers. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. He exhibited unusual changes in behavior, and became so agitated and restless that he used electroshock weapons on himself to induce sleep. This undersized six-foot-two athlete, who through force of will turned himself into Iron Mike, led a life of extraordinary career highsfollowed by a slowly devastating decline. Webster's estate brought a lawsuit in Maryland's U.S. District Court against the National Football League. One of the best silver linings in the course of the situation has been the community of families that either are enduring or have endured similar circumstances that the Websters are part of. Failed to report flower. Contrary to rumors, Webster never admitted to using anabolic steroids during his career, even though they were legal at the time. Mike would be the first one at the stadium and the last to leave, he was so afraid to fail, recalls Pamela. But then, Maddox wasnt there at Mike Websters funeral. Michael Allen Webster. [dropcap]A[/dropcap]t the Pittsburgh Steelers executive offices, overlooking the manicured field where the pro football team practices, Mike Websters sweetly smiling photo stands out on a wall decorated with glowering tough-guy shots of the teams other famous players. Steelers legendary center Mike Webster was simply not himself after his career ended. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. 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