Dave Pear's Blog

Dear Mr. Pear,
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I am sending you this message tonight because I am on my last raw nerve. The Wrights’ story prompted me to reach out to others like us.
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I believe you may have already seen some correspondence about my husband, Terry Owens – San Diego Chargers ten years as #76. Terry is a big man, a proud man. We lost his business earlier this year but were actually blessed because we should have lost it much sooner – State Farm stepped up.
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Terry has gone downhill fast. He’s now on the 88 plan. I can’t keep up with him – even with full-time help. We do not need anything financially. YET. But we do need communication and support. I could never have imagined how hard this would be and I pride myself on being a strong cookie. We are living in Crazyland every day!
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Fortunately, Terry is just as sweet as he has always been. But two of us chase him all day long. He has several self-inflicted wounds: eye, thumb, nose. Minor but of concern. He thinks he’s holding something in his hand all day – nothing there but his hand is clasped. It’s crazy. Even two of us cannot keep up. Last night, I went to take a shower and I forgot to lock the front door. Within 10 minutes he was outside with the TV remote in his hand along with 4 or 5 books (anything he could get his hands on) and in his bare feet walking down a long driveway to get into a neighbor’s mailbox! And Terry cannot go into an assisted living facility at this stage as he’s beyond that and needs round-the-clock supervision to keep him from hurting himself or getting into trouble.
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Feel free to post our dilemma on your blog. Others need to know just how bad it is and how ill-prepared we are for all of this. I’m also hoping that others in similar situations will get in touch with me so we can provide support for each other.
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Please count me in on the fight for retired football players’ rights.
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Dave, I thank you,
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Respectfully,
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Alison Owens
on behalf of Terry and all the other men who are now suffering from their concussions
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(256) 221-0043
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10 Responses so far | Have Your Say!

1. Glendora Wright
   July 20th, 2011 at 2:07 pm #

   

   Hi Alison,

   I just finished reading about your present difficulties. I am happy I inspired you. Thanks for sharing your life with me.

   I have also been contemplating moving into a Independent/Assisted Living community . Your true life story has helped me to make up my mind.
   I just wish I had the money to design and open a community specifically for former and current NFL Players with Memory loss issues and other Brain conditions that need a specific
   plan of action to care for them. You have my sympathy, empathy and XOXOXO to life and love.

   Sounds like Terry needs to be in a locked unit to protect him and you need a independent place so you can be close to him! If I was rich, I would certainly create a community like that!

   I hope , I am clear about what I am trying to convey!

   Thanks for sharing
   Glendora!

2. George Visger
   July 20th, 2011 at 3:23 pm #

   

   Alison and Glendora,

   Thanks to the both of you for your courage in not only speaking out on behalf of your husbands but for your strength in sacrificing your lives to take care of your loved ones. I speak with experience in knowing somewhat of what you both are going through. I suffered a traumatic brain injury while playing for the 49ers in 1981 and have had a total of 9 emergency VP Shunt brain surgeries since. I am thankful every single day for the support of my wife and kids.

   We are beginning to finally bring attention to the plight of what our FAMILIES have to face in dealing with the repercussions of our decisions to play a game, in order to line the owners’ pockets.

   Please stay strong as help is on its way. Dave Pear’s Blog is a great way to reach out to a number of caring players and their families. We are all in this together and will leave no one behind.

   I have personally been on 4 different dementia medicines at once just last year (Arricept, Lexapro, Namenda and Resperidol) on top of my anti-seizure medicine, Lamictil which I take for gran mal seizures. That lethal cocktail of drugs just about killed me so I quit all but the Lamictil and started on Hyperbaric oxygen treatments and megadoses of Dr. Barry Sears Omega 3 fish oils. I take 18 grams of Omega 3′s per day (that’s 18 of their 1,000 ml capsules!). Since my new treatments, my memory has actually improved for the first time in decades.

   Also having good luck with anti oxidants to reduce inflammation in the brain. I also use another of Dr Sears products, SeaHealth Plus. It is pure concentrated fruit and seaweed juices, no drugs involved. Please look into these treatments if possible and use them for yourselves also. You both need to reduce inflammation in your tissues. Stress is one of the worse things for inflammation and I can only imagine the stress you are both under.

   God bless you both and stay tuned to Dave’s Blog. We have a lot of good folks out there willing to help.

   George Visger
   San Francisco 49ers 80 & 81
   Survivor of 9 NFL-Caused Emergency VP Shunt Brain Surgeries
   Benefactor of ZERO NFL Benefits

3. Janet & Michael C. McCoy
   July 20th, 2011 at 7:12 pm #

   

   Has anyone read what Drew Brees from the Saints had to say about the retired players? This man is out of his mind. I have no respect for what he has to say. There is no way he can speak for what the retired players have done with their earnings. He needs to get a grip. These men played during a time when their salaries were not millions of dollars. He claims they did not want to work and made bad business decisions.

   Drew, if you these men made millions such as yourself, then there would not be a need for these talks, speaking as Michael McCoy’s wife. When your body eventually breaks down, you will have much too much money to ask for compensation because you should have all you need to care for yourself …unless you make bad business decisions or marry a time or two.

   Janet Brown-McCoy
   for Mike McCoy
   Green Bay Packers
   1976 – 1983

4. Harry E. Jacobs
   July 21st, 2011 at 4:50 am #

   

   Alison,

   I am 74 now and played 11 years of Pro Football as a Defensive QB. I have CTE and 3 years ago I was afraid to drive to Buffalo – 14 miles from my home – as I would not know how to get home. After Hyperbaric treatments, medicines and supplements my mind is better than it was in my 30′s! God has blessed me with Kay, my spouse, who is a nurse and led me through a path that included: Dent Neurological Clinic in Orchard Park, NY; to Banner Institute in Phoenix, Arizona; to Dr. Perlmutter in Naples, Florida; to Dr. Amen in California; to Dr. Alan Spiegel in Palm Harbor, Florida. Each of these doctors have given us help and directions which have brought me to the point where I am starting Coach Harry’sTeam,LLC, so that I can ‘Pay It Forward – Consistently’ to all Americans, and especially to our own ‘former NFL’ers’ with challenges! We can and must do it on our own and not wait on the NFL to do it for us. We never did that as football players. Let’s not do it in life, now!

   Please contact me if you wish more information. Keep an eye on http://www.coachharrysteam.com, which is just starting to get up on the web. Any suggestions you might have that will make it more effective in ‘paying it forward’ to the former NFL’ers and their caregivers, please let me know. Also feel free to address your emails to kjacobs@thejacobsteam.com. and Kay Babe will respond with her perspective. She is a left-brainer and I am a right-brainer that has caused us many challenges in the 53 years of marriage. But because of the study of the brain that we have been doing it has become a great strength in our marriage and for our family.

   God bless you as you continue to be the caregiver for Terry. Keep on keeping on! God is able when you are not!

   Coach Harry Jacobs
   Boston Patriots, Buffalo Bills,
   New Orleans Saints
   1960 – 1970
   716-649-4460
   716-649-5888

5. George Visger
   July 21st, 2011 at 12:00 pm #

   

   Coach Jacobs,

   GREAT ADVICE! After 9 NFL-caused emergency VP shunt brain surgeries since 1981, I too have had GREAT results from Hyperbaric oxygen treatments (HBOT) and megadoses of Omega 3 fish oils and antioxidant fruit/seaweed juice. I personally take 18 grams/day of Dr Barry Sears Omega 3′s and his SeaHealth Plus juice. His Omegas are industrial-grade purified. Make sure yours are purified as fatty fish often stores tremendous amounts of toxins such as PCBs, mercury etc. in their oil.

   I have also been to Dr. Amen’s clinic 3 times now and scheduled for a 4th visit soon to retest after my 80th HBOT treatment. I would recommend that everyone to at least look into these treatments. The first thing in decades that has actually improved my short term memory issues.

   George Visger

6. Rick Redman
   July 22nd, 2011 at 2:04 pm #

   

   Dave, thanks for your good work.

   Alison’s story about her husband, Terry, is very sad. I had the pleasure of playing along side of Terry for the bulk of his career in San Diego. He was a big, gentle man with a simple and heartwarming style. He just did his job and went about his business like a pro. To think that a guy playing offensive tackle can be affected by concussions as Terry has been only leads one to wonder how vulnerable others are that played more high-impact positions. Terry’s condition is very sad and just another indication of the potential damage that many retirees and their families may be forced to encounter. Let’s hope the league continues to understand this issue and responds by doing “what is right” in supporting additional solutions.

   All my best to a wonderful fallen teammate and his family.

   Rick Redman
   UW Huskies 1962 – 1964
   San Diego Chargers 1965 – 1973

7. Larry Harrison
   August 8th, 2011 at 6:37 pm #

   

   Mrs. Alison,

   I just read your story! I had no idea that Terry and Family were going through this terrible situation. I am extremely sorry. I came from a football family! My father was one of the High School players Terry watched as a young man. (Dovil Harrison)! I have been a Charger fan ever since Terry became a Charger. He used to send me photos and made me feel so special. Terry is and always will be special to me! He has been and always will continue to be one of my biggest heroes.

   My prayers will be with your family. I “DO” believe God is able and willing to bring healing to Terry and bring strength and peace that surpasseth all understanding to you!

   Sincerely
   Larry Harrison

8. Robert Drinkwater
   August 23rd, 2011 at 2:48 pm #

   Alison,

   This breaks my heart. I went to school with Terry and his other brothers. We all grew up together. I knew his family well.

   May God bless you and Terry. Both of you are in my prayers!

   Robert Drinkwater

9. Robert Remitz
   October 10th, 2011 at 3:34 pm #

   Alison–

   I am so glad that we could talk today and I know that for a fact that I will be able to help. I loved your message.

   We will step up in a big way here, Alison, and I will make sure that my suppliers understand what kind of man your husband is. We leave no one behind.

   Robert Remitz
   GoSouthernMD.com

10. Former Charger, Terry Owens, a man that gave his all.
    October 27th, 2012 at 3:25 pm #

    [...] to take on all these jobs with little help. Alison has shared her story with good friends of BTF, Dave Pears blog. The sad story that is from the wife’s perspective. I can say I respect Alison and all the [...]