Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson, whose body was discovered in a Florida hotel room earlier this year, died from chronic alcohol use, a Florida medical examiner said on Wednesday.
The Hillsborough County medical examiner revealed that the former NFL player's body exhibited signs of alcohol-related cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, and several minor injuries including a laceration on his head and bruises on his torso, according to Fox 13 News.
The report further noted evidence of stage 2 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative brain disease caused by repetitive head trauma. Jackson's family said the 38-year-old first noticed symptoms several years prior to his death but was never formally diagnosed.
"He shared with me once that alcohol made him feel calm and made him feel like himself and that his brain was really fuzzy, and this made it not fuzzy," Jackson's widow, Lindsey, said.
Staff at the Homewood Suites in Florida said that Jackson had checked into the hotel on Jan. 11. His family filed a missing persons report on Feb. 11. Police located him alive the following day and, after speaking to him and assessing his well-being, dismissed the case. A housekeeper discovered Jackson's body four days later.
"My heart aches for the many loved ones Vincent Jackson leaves behind, from his wife and children to the Buccaneers nation that adored him," said Sheriff Chad Chronister at the time, according to People. "Mr. Jackson was a devoted man who put his family and community above everything else."
Jackson's parents both served in the U.S. Army and because of this, he founded the Jackson in Action 83 Foundation, which is dedicated to helping military families and their children.
"We shared a passion for supporting military families, and three years ago, Jackson was even made an honorary deputy by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office to recognize his dedication to the community," Chronister said. "He will be sorely missed by not only football fans across the country, but also the people here in Hillsborough County who reaped the benefits of his generous contributions."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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