Claude Lemieux suffered from an “injustice” prior to his untimely death that he ultimately couldn’t “bear.”
The NHL star died by suicide this month at age 60, found by one of his sons inside his Lake Park furniture business at 3:23 a.m. on Thursday, May 26, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
In his two-decade career, the four-time Stanley Cup champion led the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche to a total of four Stanley Cups, however he was never inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame after he retired in 2009.
Claude carried this with him, longtime Montreal hockey columnist Rejean Tremblay, who knew Claude for three decades, told the New York Post, revealing: “He always lived this as an injustice, a heavy burden to bear.”
“The sense of rejection ran deeper than one might have imagined. He took it very hard,” he added.
Claude appeared in good spirits just days before his suicide, appearing at Montreal’s Bell Centre on Monday representing his old team, carrying the torch before Game Three of the NHL conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes.
© Getty Images“It’s possible that surge of love, that wave of love on Monday evening, triggered an emotion that was too intense,” Rejean noted. “It might have reawakened old pains, old suffering.”
Claude is survived by his wife Deborah, and their four children, sons daughter Claudia, and sons Brendan, Christopher and Michael.
His family has since shared that his brain is being donated to the Boston University CTE Center to research the long-term effects of repetitive brain injuries. CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, causes the death of nerve cells in the brain, known as degeneration, and worsens over time, per the Mayo Clinic. The only way to definitively diagnose CTE is after death during an autopsy of the brain.
“Claude dedicated his post-playing career to helping the next generation,” a statement released by his daughter Claudia read. “By allowing his name to be connected to this research, we hope his life can contribute to greater understanding, more honest conversations and better protection for athletes and families in the years ahead.”
© Getty Images“The family emphasizes that this decision is a gift to science, to athletes and to future generations of families seeking answers. No conclusion should be drawn at this time regarding any diagnosis,” it added.
Earlier this week, Boston University announced that former Bruins hockey player Lyndon Byers was diagnosed with stage 3 CTE following his death at age 61 last year, according to The Athletic, bringing the total number of NHL players with CTE studied at the university to 19 out of 20.
If you are struggling or know someone who is, you can call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988, or visit 988lifeline.org
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