CTE RECOVERY for Athletes and Military

I'm William Person, a former Team USA member (BOBSLED), on a mission to confront the hidden crisis within the Winter Olympic athletic community – the devastating epidemic of suicide and all symptoms related to CTE—Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy—the same neurodegenerative brain disease that led to Junior Seau taking his life in 2012. The disease is caused by repeated head trauma, as occurs in contact sports like football, bobsledding, and military service.

My Story

My friend and former teammate, Pavle Jovanovic, called me one day, speaking Gibberish. I could not understand anything he said. He got so frustrated he hung up the phone. I sat at home and every day I told myself to find him some help. May 3, 2020, I received the news that he hung himself at his family's business.

The guilt of not understanding his pain and failing to offer support haunted me. I eventually found out I could not help him because I also need help. The shockwave of loss continued as more of my former Bobsledding teammates followed the same tragic path, including Steve Holcolmb, from my 2003 World Championship team.

Pavle’s and Steve' s deaths along with so many others made me realize many of us Bobsledders are struggling with CTE related symptoms. Pavle was our version of Superman; he was in stage 4 CTE and couldn't even speak clearly. I filed a class action lawsuit in hopes of finding help for all the athletes in need and to protect young and upcoming athletes in the sport. I filed for TRANSPARENCY, because none of us were warned about the long-term cognitive issues of participating in the sport – not just the threat of crashing – I’m talking about the simple nature of the sport that jumbles the brain inside the skull.

I recently spoke to the judge. I explained all things are negotiable except properly warning new athletes about the possible long term cognitive issues. I am currently the lead plaintiff and the current offer on the table will only evaluate the athletes to see whether they have CTE. That’s it. Absolutely nothing else of value. Zero funds to treat athletes if they do have CTE and no advanced warnings to upcoming athletes about the real long-term dangers of repetitive concussions and extreme g-force exposure. I have refused to sign off on the offer. At the last court hearing I was standing alone against all parties. Lawyers on both sides say that evaluating athletes, while offering NO compensation or treatment is sufficient. I do not agree. These organizations are getting rich off athletes while we suffer with extreme headaches, cloudy thoughts, dementia, depression, and low to merely no quality of life.

The diagnosis of CTE in my sport has become our common thread. This is a global issue that is being ignored and swept under the carpet. The New York Times broke the story with an article called “Sled Head” (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/26/sports/olympics/olympics-bobsled-suicide-brain-injuries.html).

It was reported that bobsled athletes are pulling extreme G-forces, more than Military Fighter Pilots and the Space Shuttle. Another article was released in December of 2024 stating fighter pilots are suffering from the same fate as bobsled athletes, however, add in vibrations from rough ice (SHAKING BABY SYNDROME) and concussions, and Bobsledding becomes the perfect storm for stage 4 CTE.

Many athletes suffer from CTE. But it doesn't have to be a death sentence.

Joe Namath's inspiring story introduced me to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), a potential lifeline (https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/13186859/joe-namath-believes-found-cure-brain-damage-caused-football ).

After my own experience with HBOT, I witnessed a transformation – some clarity returned, and some of my anxiety faded, and I no longer got lost in my own neighborhood. For a long time I could not say Joe Namath's name without getting choked up for his contribution to my renewed health. Now, I want to pay it forward. Some of the people I’ve helped have reported that their symptoms have been permanently reversed. I am not so lucky, but I am determined to survive this nasty disease and help as many as I can.

Now, I'm determined to provide FREE HBOT TREATMENT to athletes and military soldiers grappling with CTE. To make this vision a reality, I need your help.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers can cost tens of thousands of dollars, making access impossible for most. It’s suggested some may need 30 consecutive days of treatment or more. My goal is to create accommodations at my Midwest lake home, where athletes and veterans can stay and get treated for free.

When enough funds are raised, I can expand the center to a larger property in St. Louis Missouri. This place is the perfect location. As we raise funds, we'll expand our resources, purchase more chambers and boarding accommodations to help even more athletes and military regain their lives.

CTE symptoms vary from depression, anxiety, memory loss, loss of words, inability to do simple math, to Parkinson's disease and suicide. My story has already reached athletes in other sports facing similar battles, and lives have already been saved.

I received a call from a hockey player who was in tears. He shared that he was planning a second suicide attempt, but after seeing my story in the New York Times, he changed his mind. He was the first, but definitely not the last.

With every day, I witness the remarkable progress HBOT brings, and I believe it can help many – from playground to college athletes, military, and homemakers, to everyday individuals with head injuries.

While I'm not out of the woods, HBOT gives me back quality of life, more and more with each treatment. I’m one who will likely require treatment for the rest of my life. I never received medical treatment for the concussions I sustained during my Olympic journey, and I do not know of any athletes who did. During a World Cup race in St. Moritz, Switzerland, prior to opening Olympic Ceremonies, I was involved in a horrific crash. My brakeman was unconscious and I had a nasty case of Vertigo that still pops up frequently. I actually have it this week along with a constant headache that’s sometimes in between a migraine or faint ache but it never goes away. Our treatment back then was to go back to the hotel and make sure neither of us goes to sleep. So which concussed guy was supposed to monitor which? My vertigo was so strong, the room would spin the moment I sat up in the bed.

The lack of care is a shared problem among athletes worldwide, leading to self-medication and tragedy. Let’s change this.

I shared my story with Chapman Downes on HBO REAL SPORTS and Mike Bush on NBC, but I struggled to stay on topic during both interviews because of my cloudy brain. I was so embarrassed of my condition that I hid from the media until now. Before HBOT, my mind was trapped in a painful loop. Every morning I had to figure out what day and month it was. This was my daily routine. I still struggle with this at times but it has become my warning to get back in the oxygen chamber; I call it my Spidey Sense.

Before HBOT, on many days I had to lay on the floor or maneuver my mattress as close to the restroom as possible. It gets much uglier, but I will spare you the gruesome details. Now, I’m in a much better place, thanks to Joe Namath’s story and his HBOT therapy. Many days are not pretty but they are much better than my Pre HBOT days.

The fight for Retribution

This isn't just my fight, it's a global issue. Athletes around the world are struggling in silence while doctors overlook their brains, resulting in self-medication or suicide.

What We Need:

• We need funds for doctors that can properly offer, monitor, and prescribe HBOT.

• We need CTE neurology specialists on contract for our center. I have been turned away by neurologists once they hear about the conditions of my teammates because they say my care requires a specialist. They are extremely hard to locate and most do not accept insurance.

• I have one personal HBOT Chamber, but we need more and we need chambers that can handle high volume as the athletes and military we plan to host at our nonprofit retreat center will need an hour of treatment each day and we hope to help as many people as we possible.

• Many athletes will need help with travel expenses and some may need travel companions because of their advanced conditions.

• There are other machines that have been developed to assist with cognitive decline issues, we are researching those as well.

• For those who would like a tax deduction for your generous donation, we have 501c3 tax ID.

Please, share my story, and join me in saving lives. For more information, explore the New York Times articles on this critical topic. Thank you for reading this and joining my mission to help.