Seau Family Donating Brain for Trauma Research

The family of late former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau will be donating his brain to science to help determine whether repeated trauma suffered by football players leads to depression, it was reported Friday.

Chargers chaplain Shawn Mitchell told U-T San Diego that the family came to its decision on Thursday, two days after the 43-year-old hometown hero was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chest in his beachfront Oceanside home.

“Their thoughts are if they can help someone else” by that decision. “They think good can come out of the tragedy,” he told the newspaper.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office on Thursday confirmed the manner of death was suicide. Oceanside police said a gun was found near his body but no note was discovered at the scene.

Private and public memorial services were tentatively scheduled for May 11 at New Venture Christian Fellowship in Oceanside, and May 12 Oceanside High School, respectively. The details for each were still being worked out.

A memorial paddle-out for surfers was also planned for noon Sunday in front of Seau's home.

— City News Service