Former Detroit Lions quarterback Erik Kramer, renowned for leading the Lions to their last playoff victory in the early 1990s, recently opened up about a life-altering event that became a turning point – his attempted suicide. This former National Football League (NFL) player’s journey of recovery is both exceptional and inspiring.
Kramer’s celebrated NFL career was overshadowed by a series of tragic incidents that led him into a deep abyss of grief and depression. The loss of his parents preceded a heart-wrenching event that profoundly affected him – the death of his son due to a heroin overdose. Griffen, his 18-year-old son, succumbed to addiction in 2011, marking a devastating blow that significantly impacted Kramer emotionally.
On August 18, 2015, Kramer checked into a hotel room in Calabasas, California, armed with a 9MM handgun obtained from a gun shop. The next day, he attempted to take his own life, resulting in a severe brain injury that reduced his mental capabilities to that of a six-year-old.
Kramer’s struggle with depression serves as a poignant reminder of how mental health issues can silently engulf a person’s life. The depression became a pervasive fog, overshadowing his existence and diminishing his zest for life. The guilt and sorrow stemming from his inability to save his son from addiction contributed significantly to his emotional affliction.
In 2023, updates on Kramer’s health reveal a remarkable turnaround from his near-death experience. The years following his suicide attempt were marked by rigorous rehabilitation efforts to regain his cognitive abilities. Kramer’s unwavering determination played a pivotal role in his healing journey, combining medical treatment with relentless willpower to gradually regain his mental strength.
Remarkably, Kramer developed a theory about the trajectory of the bullet through his brain during the suicide attempt. He believes that the traumatic injury somehow mitigated his depression, offering an unexpected silver lining to this harrowing chapter of his life. Kramer’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the possibility of finding hope and healing even in the darkest moments.
