WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre has been identified with Parkinson’s illness, he instructed a congressional committee Tuesday.
Favre made the disclosure as a part of his testimony a few welfare misspending scandal in Mississippi. Favre, who doesn’t face prison costs, has repaid simply over $1 million in talking charges funded by a welfare program within the state and was additionally an investor in a biotech firm with ties to the case. The biotech agency has stated it was growing concussion remedies.
The previous soccer star, 54, instructed the committee that he misplaced his funding within the firm that he thought “was growing a breakthrough concussion drug I assumed would assist others.”
“As I’m certain you’ll perceive, whereas it’s too late for me — I’ve lately been identified with Parkinson’s — that is additionally a trigger pricey to my coronary heart,” Favre stated.
What causes Parkinson’s illness is unknown, and it’s unclear if Favre’s illness is linked to his soccer profession or head accidents. He stated on a radio present in 2022 that he estimates he might have skilled “hundreds” of concussions in his 20 years within the NFL.
In accordance with the Parkinson’s Basis, scientists consider that the illness is brought on by a mix of genetic and environmental components, and people environmental components “might embody head accidents, pesticide publicity or space of residence.”
Favre “is without doubt one of the 90,000 individuals within the U.S. who will probably be identified with PD this yr alone,” stated Parkinson’s Basis CEO John Lehr.
Within the 2022 interview, Favre stated he initially thought the variety of concussions he had acquired enjoying soccer was low, however realized it may very well be a lot larger as soon as he realized extra about them, together with that they’ll occur with out inflicting somebody to lose consciousness.
Throughout one 2004 recreation, Favre sustained a concussion however returned after sitting out solely two performs and threw a landing move with out having been cleared to return to motion.
The Tremendous Bowl-winning quarterback appeared on the Republican-led Home Methods and Means Committee listening to to advocate reform of the federal welfare system to raised stop fraud.
“The challenges my household and I’ve confronted during the last three years — as a result of sure authorities officers in Mississippi failed to guard federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse, and are unjustifiably attempting accountable me, these challenges have harm my good title and are worse than something I confronted in soccer,” Favre stated.
Home Republicans have stated the scandal in Mississippi factors to the necessity for an overhaul within the federal Momentary Help for Needy Households program. Favre says he offered providers to the nonprofit that paid him with state funds, however the state auditor has stated Favre didn’t present up for the talking engagements.
Favre has stated he didn’t know the funds he acquired got here from welfare funds and has famous his charity had offered thousands and thousands of {dollars} to poor youngsters in his house state of Mississippi and in Wisconsin, the place he performed most of his profession with the Inexperienced Bay Packers.
Favre was recognized for his sturdiness throughout his Corridor of Fame profession. He had an NFL-record streak of 297 consecutive begins, a determine that goes as much as 321 if playoff video games are included.
He gained three straight MVP awards with the Inexperienced Bay Packers from 1995-97. Favre led the 1996 Packers to their first Tremendous Bowl title in almost three a long time and introduced them again to the Tremendous Bowl the next yr.
Favre was with Inexperienced Bay from 1992-2007 and likewise performed for the Atlanta Falcons (1991), New York Jets (2008) and Minnesota Vikings (2009-10). On the time of his retirement in 2011, Favre owned a number of NFL profession passing data. He was inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2016.
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Megargee contributed from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.