The details surrounding former WWE star Ashley Massaro’s death are starting to become more apparent. TMZ reports that Massaro was found hanging in an apparent suicide attempt. She was found unconscious in her Suffolk County, New York home on Thursday morning. Massaro was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Her death has been classified as “non-criminal.” A report from People adds that Massaro’s legal team believes the 39-year-old may have been suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a degenerative brain disease that has been linked to head trauma. Massaro had been dealing with depression for quite some time, and the injuries she sustained over the course of her professional wrestling career didn’t help her condition.
Massaro, along with 60 other former professional wrestlers, sued WWE back in 2016, claiming they suffered neurological injuries while competing in the ring. A federal judge dismissed the case, but an appeal was filed, which is still ongoing.
One of Massaro’s attorneys revealed that the former professional wrestler’s brain might be donated to Dr. Bennet Omalu. Omalu is a prominent doctor researching brain injuries who rose to fame for her findings related to CTE among football players who had passed away. Her lawyer, Konstantine Kyros, said that her family was a little upset about the idea, but ultimately said “it was Ashley’s wishes to donate her brain.”
Read More: Ashley Massaro Dead At 39, Cause Of Death Unclear
