{"id":1509,"date":"2026-05-29T20:51:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T20:51:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1509"},"modified":"2026-05-29T20:51:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T20:51:13","slug":"tests-reveal-former-bruins-enforcer-lyndon-byers-had-cte-at-time-of-his-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1509","title":{"rendered":"Tests reveal former Bruins enforcer Lyndon Byers had CTE at time of his death"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<div>\n<p><span>Former Boston Bruins scrapper and longtime radio co-host on WAAF\u2019s \u201cThe Hill-Man Morning Show\u201d Lyndon Byers was posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), his family announced on Thursday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1507\">Offensive lineman Mike Onwenu reworks contract with the Patriots<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>Byers died last July at 61, with the former NHLer pledging to donate his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at Boston University\u2019s CTE Center for further testing prior to his death.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Byers\u2019 family said they authorized the results of that testing to be revealed in order to raise awareness about the effects of CTE.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><span>Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center and chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System, said that Byers suffered from Stage 3 (of 4) of the progressive, degenerative brain disease, which has been linked to athletes in contact sports, including football and hockey.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWith Stage 3 disease like Lyndon Byers had, individuals almost always report cognitive symptoms, and 50% develop dementia,\u201d Dr. McKee said. \u201cWe thank the Byers family for this contribution to research, which brings us closer to our goal of diagnosing CTE during life and develop effective treatments for those still living.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><span>Get Starting Point<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span>A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.<\/span><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><label>Enter Email<\/label><\/p>\n<div><button>Sign Up<\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>Byers played 10 seasons in the NHL, including nine with the Bruins. A fan favorite in Boston, the pugnacious Byers was a punishing force on the ice, ranking 11th in Bruins franchise history with 959 penalty minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1505\">Judge orders Kennedy Center to remove Trump\u2019s name from building<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>Byers\u2019 widow, Anne Byers, noted that Byers\u2019 personality shifted dramatically at times after his playing career.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cHe was so fun and vibrant but towards the end it got to the point where didn\u2019t want to socialize or even leave the house. He battled severe depression, had episodes of hallucinations, and his struggles with short-term memory loss made it difficult for him to navigate the day on his own,\u201d she said. \u201cI will do whatever I can to make sure nobody else has to watch their loved one deteriorate like that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>According to the Concussion &amp; CTE Foundation, 19 of the 20 former NHL players studied at the Boston University CTE Center were posthumously diagnosed with CTE \u2014 including Bobby Hull, Ralph Backstrom, Stan Mikita, Bob Probert, Derek Boogaard, and Byers.\u200b<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThe NHL can do better to protect its players\u2019 safety,\u201d Anne Byers added. \u201cAthletes deserve to know what head injuries can do so they can make informed decisions about their bodies and work in an environment that supports their health first.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1503\">Alex Smalley back in position to win at Colonial after third-round lead at PGA gets away<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Byers\u00a0had pledged to donate his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at Boston University\u2019s CTE Center prior to his death last July at 61.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1508,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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