Mike Adamle: ‘I’m a survivor,’ shares plans to launch CTE support group

Former Bears star Mike Adamle doesn’t want to be remembered as a victim of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.

“I’m a survivor,” Adamle told NBC’s Megyn Kelly.

Adamle, a 68-year-old former Chicago sports anchor who retired from the Bears in 1977, was diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, in 2016 after he had a neurological assessment. CTE is an incurable, degenerative brain disease that is believed to be caused by repeated blows to the head.

Doctors told Adamle that he had “all the symptoms concurrent with what we know about CTE,” according to Adamle’s wife, Kim Adamle.

CTE has flipped the Adamles’ lives upside down.

“Our life just was chaotic and we didn’t know what was going on or why,” Kim told Kelly. “We can’t stop the CTE, that damage … but we can do other things to promote other brain growth.”

Mike is launching the Mike Adamle Project: Rise Above, a national support network for suspected victims and their families. He told Kelly he wants “to show former players there are things you can do.”

Kim said she also wants to help families dealing with loved ones who have CTE-symptoms.

“We can’t stop the CTE. We can do other things to promote other brain growth,” Kim said.

Mike Adamle is also a big supporter of the “Dave Duerson Act.” The proposed law would ban tackle football for Illinois children younger than 12 years old.

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