Former WWE personality and six-year NFL veteran Mike Adamle shared the heartbreaking news of his deteriorating health.
Adamle told NBC Chicago of his 19-year bout with seizures, which doctors are calling post-traumatic epilepsy stemming from his football career. He also detailed that he now has dementia and doctors believe he has CTE, a degenerative brain disease found in athletes that have suffered head injuries such as boxers, soccer players and football players.
In addition to the seizures, Adamle, 67, said he suffers from dramatic mood swings, episodes of rage, depression, anxiety and memory loss. Adamle has also been diagnosed with dementia.
"Here's what happens. You [Peggy] come over and you can do an interview with me and you'll leave and I'll say, 'Oh God who is that?'" Adamle told Kusinski. "Watching a movie last night — this happened last night — five seconds into it, I'll say 'What are we watching?'"
According to the report, Adamle can no longer work or drive, and he must wear a fanny pack that has his I.D., keys and phone in case he gets lost.
Adamle played college football at Northwestern, where he was an All-American fullback and Big Ten MVP in 1970. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs as a fourth-round draft pick, before stints with the New York Jets and Chicago Bears.
After retiring from football, Adamle became an on-screen personality for NBC Sports, American Gladiators and WWE.
His stint with WWE ran less than a year.
Our thoughts are with his family.
