OT: Former Lions and Bears QB Erik Kramer Apparent Suicide Attempt

Submitted by Brown Bear on
Some sad news to report this morning.

Former Bears and Lions QB Erik Kramer who has suffered from depression for years was wounded in an apparent failed suicide attempt.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/report_ex-lions_qb_erik_kr…

If you know anyone in need of help.
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

LSA Aught One

August 20th, 2015 at 11:50 AM ^

love the avatar.

I walked the road in 2010 and again in 2014.  Sometimes it just sneaks up on you.  Try your hardest to avoid it, but don't get down on yourself if it sneaks up on you.  Always remember that it does get better with time.

Louie C

August 20th, 2015 at 12:06 PM ^

Thank you, I appreciate that. As for the avi, I hoped and prayed that it would be on the web and lo' and behold it was. I always played Super Tec with the Lions, and whenever we'd played the Bears, Jim and Neal Anderson would always have a play or two that would make me throw the controller. I mean how in the hell would Anderson house a 50+ yard run multiple times when he looked like he was running in slow motion compared to Barry and Tecmo Bo?!

The Mad Hatter

August 20th, 2015 at 12:14 PM ^

But just as an fyi for those dealing with treatment resistant major depression, the new ketamine treatments can be a lifesaver.  Find a doctor that will prescribe it as an intranasal spray, or go to one of the (expensive) I.V. infusion centers that have been popping up.

Someone very close to me probably wouldn't have made it without it.

UMProud

August 20th, 2015 at 9:21 AM ^

Don't know what Kramer's demons are but hope he can find a doctor to help him through it...fond memories of this guy when he played for Detroit.

JTrain

August 20th, 2015 at 9:30 AM ^

Well anyone that would have to endure the loss of a child...I can't even imagine. My son has had multiple open heart surgeries and sitting through that was bad enough. Combine that with multiple concussions over the years / traumatic brain injuries and one can see where someone may have issues coping. Hope he can find help somehow.



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saveferris

August 20th, 2015 at 12:54 PM ^

I mean I was a nervous wreck when my one year son had to get anesthetized just to get tubes put in his ears.  I can't even imagine how tough it would be to have wait it out for open heart surgery.  Best wishes to you and your family on that front.

Losing a child has to be the worst thing ever.  The nightmare that wakes me up in a cold sweat and keeps me from falling back asleep is the one where something awful has happened to my kids.

Blueblood2991

August 20th, 2015 at 9:28 AM ^

Honestly, fuck the media.  This should be an internal family issue not to be publicized.  If and when Kramer is ready to talk about his survival, then write an article about it.

Until then, stay strong Erik.  There's always another option.

trueblue262

August 20th, 2015 at 9:30 AM ^

He lost a son in 2011 to a drug overdose........ You don't have to have kids to know how devastating that would be. My thoughts are with the Kramer family

His Dudeness

August 20th, 2015 at 10:37 AM ^

 No, you're absolutely right. This is a serious matter. So serious in fact that I am going to talk about doing something nice for Mr' Kramer and I will hope and I will pray that his family is ok to make myself feel better so that I dont have to actually, you know, DO anything at all. It's pretty great actually. Matter of fact instead of going to work today I might just stay at home on my computer and write about how I hope and pray that my work gets done. I have all the faith in the world that if I hope long enough, it'll get done.

Actually, I think I will listen to more Ace of Base.

 

His Dudeness

August 20th, 2015 at 10:40 AM ^

Why? There are literally thousands of people in your city going through this same thing right now. You dont even think about that. Suddenly it's a guy who threw a football semi-well for a bit and it's a crime against man to make a joke about it (even though seriously Ace of Base is pretty funny and it may actually help someone going through some shit). I just dont understand the "he said something I don't like make him go away" line of thinking here.  

jace owen

August 20th, 2015 at 11:29 AM ^

It's the manner in which you are expressing your thought. To make a joke of someone trying to kill themselves is just not appropriate. I actually do agree that with many issues plaguing the world today you cant have JUST faith. We need to do what we can to help others. Its sad and terrible news when this happens to anyone.

Louie C

August 20th, 2015 at 10:45 AM ^

All jokes aside, I didn't appreciate them when they were popular. I thought they were downright corny until I heard "The Sign" playing on the radio while I was getting some dental work done. I don't know if it was the nitrous oxide, or my continously evolving taste in music, but I was like

 

PeterKlima

August 20th, 2015 at 9:44 AM ^

Eirk had troubles with his father from what I remember.  Then, he lost his son while he was in high school.  Now this.

 

Ugh.

 

Aside from that, some yahoos wlll use this as a reason to attack the game of football even though the suicide rate for former NFL players is lowerer than the general population.  Rather than addressing the more important, over-arching issue of mental health help in the US, people ill seek to serve their own agenda.  That is really insulting to people with mental health issues like Erik.

BlueinLansing

August 20th, 2015 at 10:16 AM ^

seems pretty convinced football played a part saying Eric struggled with depression going as far back as his days with the Bears.

 

So maybe the people closest to the situation might know a touch more than you cowboy.

Victor Valiant

August 20th, 2015 at 10:23 AM ^

His wife is also not a doctor. Kramer spent 12 of his 32 adult years playing professional football. Depression could have easily struck him during that time and have had nothing to do with trauma related to football. Correlation does not equal causation.

PeterKlima

August 20th, 2015 at 1:39 PM ^

What do you mean? She saw him get depressed during his 12 year career and she knows the cause of it? Are you just being obtuse?



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kvnryn

August 20th, 2015 at 10:00 AM ^

Wow, some eerie parallels to another-former-Lion-QB-named-Eric. Eric Hipple's son also died and Hipple struggled with depression and attempted suicide. He's now working at the UM Depression Center doing outreach for these types of issues. Sounds like these guys really need to talk.

CoverZero

August 20th, 2015 at 11:32 AM ^

I was a bartender at a Lions golf outing back in the early 90s when I was in college.  Hipple had long since retired from the Lions but he was there partying like crazy.  He consumed 28 full shots of tequilla that night.  We started counting after about 7, the guy was slamming and then running around the room throwing the ball around.  Ive never seen someone drink that much in 2 hours it was like 2.5 750 ml bottles of tequilla. Crappy house well tequilla too...not Patron.

jace owen

August 20th, 2015 at 10:11 AM ^

Thanks to the OP for handling this in a sensitive manner. Losing a child is one of the worst things to go through. Add that trauma to whatever cte/brain trauma he may have and you can see how his depression may have developed or worsened. Sounds like Hipple may be a valuable resource as well. Prayers go out to him.

Doc Brown

August 20th, 2015 at 10:24 AM ^

I second the urge to just talk to someone if you are feeling depressed or suicidal. I attempted suicide back in high school. Luckily I was not successful. The happiest I have been for failing at something. Point is, SEEK help. Just talk to someone anyone.



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Victor Valiant

August 20th, 2015 at 10:25 AM ^

This is absolutely terrible news. I hope he gets the medical help he needs both mentally and physically. I heard him speak at length on the Adam Carolla podcast a while back and he seemed like a really down to earth and balanced guy. He spoke about his son at length and seemed to be doing as well as one could in coping with his death.