Earnhardt To Donate Brain To Science [VIDEO]
Hopefully he'll wait until he's done using it...
Stating he won't be using it at the point, one of NASCAR's most popular drivers tweeted earlier today that he will be donating his brain to science after he dies, and this is no April Fools joke.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is calling his decision to donate his brain to the Concussion Legacy Foundation a "no-brainer." The group works with Boston University researching the degenerative disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE.
Earnhardt is no stranger to concussions. In 2012, the second generations NASCAR superstar missed two races after being diagnosed with concussions suffered in crashes, one suffered during testing in Kansas. Earnhardt denied he was injured and only spoke up when he crashed in Talladega a few weeks later. Junior sought treatment at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, a leader in concussion research. After working with the U of P, Earnhardt became interested in learning about brain injuries, and he hopes to continue when NASCAR visits New Hampshire later in the season, making a trip to Boston University during his down time that week.
The 41-year-old Earnhart was already registered an organ donor, so donating his brain made sense. The driver of the #88 hopes science will advance enough by the time of his passing, that the donation will be unnecessary. He is hoping in the interim that his donation will encourage others to the same, as he has been by Atkinson, Buehler, Thoms and Chastain.
For information about, or to make a contribution to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, visit their website at http://concussionfoundation.org/.
source: KSWO news, The Sporting news, ESPN and The Concussion Legacy Foundation