WALNUT CREEK, Calif., June 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Fragile X Foundation shares in the sorrow surrounding the death of wrestler Chris Benoit and his wife and son. Early reports indicate that the son had fragile X syndrome, the world's leading cause of inherited intellectual disability, and that Mr. Benoit may have been depressed over that fact.
While the parents and professionals who make up the National Fragile X Foundation fully understand and appreciate the difficulties associated with raising a child with fragile X syndrome, we urge all citizens to learn more about the condition and about how, with the proper diagnosis and intervention, those boys and girls, men and women, can be active participants and contributing members of their families, schools and communities.
The U.S. Congress has designated July 22 as "National Fragile X Awareness Day." The National Fragile X Foundation uses this opportunity to help spread awareness about the condition as well as to educate professionals about the best forms of treatment and intervention. This year, on July 20, the National Fragile X Foundation has organized a three-hour, international audio/video webcast featuring many of the nation's leading fragile X syndrome clinicians. This free event is an excellent opportunity to learn about what can be done to provide the maximum opportunities for children affected by the syndrome.
Throughout the world, scientists, doctors, teachers, therapists and counselors are working hard to provide better forms of treatment and intervention. The National Fragile X Foundation has been organizing those professionals and disseminating information to the worldwide Fragile X community since 1984. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes a tragedy, such as that involving Chris Benoit and his family, to bring attention to so-called "rare" conditions. To learn more about fragile X syndrome, as well as the upcoming webcast, please visit
http://www.fragilex.org/. The National Fragile X Foundation
There's a news story about this tragedy at Crime Library, written by David Lohr. In short it says that "police has made public a time line of the events at the Benoit home, stating that they find the time line bizarre."
Tomas
New information say Daniel Benoit did not have Fragile X.
Can fragile X be determined by a chromosomal test?
Chris Jericho is still employed by the WWE, it was a storyline that made him leave. He was there because he was Benoit's best friend.
On the second sentence - no. Benoit's best friend was Eddie Guerrero.
On the first sentence - no again. Jericho is rumoured to be talking to TNA as well as WWE. When he left in 2005 his contract was up. The "firing" was kayfabe but his departure was not. Chris wanted to put more time into Fozzy and a number of other projects including acting. He has only recently expressed a strong interest in wrestling again.
Where is the video on You Tube? I'd like to see it.
And it doesn't just go for the wrestlers either! I can talk through experience on that one! Nearly 100 matches as a referee and experience as a manager as well.
Not by itself, Callista. I read the recap of the Larry King thing (and I would love to see the You Tube vid anyway) and all three of the wrestlers who knew Benoit (John Cena, Chris Jericho and Bret Hart) all stated that Benoit was the sort of guy that would let nothing phase him when it came to wrestling.
If there was anything that contributed (and I'm speaking from my own view here along with the view of a few other fans - and I think it has been mentioned by some wrestlers as well) it was the death of his best friend Eddie Guerrero in November 2005. That shocked the whole industry and it even left me gobsmacked and upset. Only one other time have I felt like that upon the death of a wrestler - and that was Owen Hart in 1999, if only because he died on my birthday and he was the same age as me. When Eddie's widow came out at Wrestlemania in 2006 during the presentation of those who were inducted into the Hall of Fame that year - I was choking back the tears.
But by far the worst response when it came to the tribute videos to Eddie came from Chris Benoit. He was all but cracking up. No one was breaking up that badly. Benoit took five months off in 2006 - and hindsight makes genius's out of all of us, but one assumes that was why. I guess it just didn't work.
Then of course there's the reports of Daniel having Fragile X. Now I don't want to start that argument again - but should it be true that would add further pressure. I'm certain that's one thing the toxicology report will come back with - whether or not Daniel was indeed Fragile X.
If someone can come back with that You Tube video link, it might be an idea if you had a look at it as well, Callista. Cena is a current wrestler and if I remember rightly from the recap he did mention how things are easier now than what they used to be. Matt Hardy - another current wrestler - also touched on that issue on his blog at My Space.
It was earlier than expected by WWE lawyers, but the initial toxicology report is out;
Nancy Benoit had 3 different drugs in her system at the time of death. Hydrocodone (also known as Mortab, Morset) were found at 120 micrograms per liter. Hydromorphone, directly from the brakedown of the hydrocodone, was also found. Finally, the anti-anxiety drug Xanex wss present at 23 micrograms per liter. All 3 drugs were found at the theraputic level - not toxic levels. Her blood alcohol level was 0.184.
Daniel Benoit's blood tested positive for Xanex at 100 micrograms per liter, which is an elevated. What is interesting about this fact is that the drug Xanex was not prescribed to Daniel and is typically not prescribed to children. Based upon this finding, it is their opinion that Daniel was sedated by Xanex at the time of his murder.
Chris Benoit tested positive for Xanex at 50 micrograms per liter. He also tested positive for Hydrocodone at 45 micrograms per liter. Both of these drugs were within the theraputic range and not toxic.
As far as steroids ..... Chris Benoit's urine tested positive for the steroid testosterone at 207 micrograms per liter. The elevated level of testosterone in his urine were the ONLY "steroids" present in Chris Benoit. The medical examiner concluded that there is no way of telling whether Benoit's elevated testosterone was a result of recent steroid use. He called it a "mystery" - but said that Benoit may have been treated for a testosterone deficiency.
The drug GHB was not found in any 3 of the individuals.
No way to tell whether the drugs in Benoit's system had any affect on his behavior that weekend. The drugs found in all 3 bodies were at therapeutic - NOT toxic levels. The medical examiner also said that the decomposition of the bodies may have affected the level of alcohol in Nancy's body.
WWE's response;
WWE understands that the toxicology reports for Chris Benoit indicate that he tested positive for testosterone and negative for anabolic steroids. On Mr. Benoit's last drug test in April 2007 administered by Aegis Labs, he tested negative for anabolic steroids and for testosterone. Given the toxicology report of GBI released today, it would appear that Mr. Benoit took testosterone sometime after his April 2007 test and before the time he died. WWE understands that his dealings with Dr. Astin are currently being investigated, and WWE has no knowledge of whether Dr. Astin prescribed testosterone for Mr. Benoit at some point after the April 2007 tests.
For over 20 years, the WWE has been demonstrating our concern for the well being of our contracted athletes, instituting drug testing in 1987 leading up to our current Wellness Program which began on February 27, 2006, administered by Dr. David L. Black of Aegis Sciences Corporation" one of the world’s foremost drug testing authorities.
We believe our Wellness Program is at the very least comparable to those of professional sports and is a program that will benefit WWE Superstars for generations to come.
The fact that drugs not prescribed for children was found in Daniel's body in a *** disgrace in my book. The depression drugs support the view that Chris was battling with Eddie Guerrero's death still, and Nancy was struggling with Chris in that mood.
But that's speculation. We'll never know for sure.
The report didn't comment on whether or not Daniel had Fragile X.
Testosterone <> Steroids. So I have nothing to apologise for.
And Daniel also turned up negative so Kylo's right, he doesn't need to apologise either.
What I want to know (and we'll probably never know now) is what the heck was an ADULT depressant doing in Daniel's body???
I heard that investigations are continuing so this may well be an initial report only (which would explain why the WWE lawyer said on Larry King that the final report is some weeks away yet). Hopefully that final report will include a definitive yes or no on whether or not Daniel was Fragile X.
And that was rude as usual, Rossco. When I have EXPERIENCE in something that proves someone else is wrong, that does not make me the owner of this forum!! Sheesh!!
Yes, Jenna - and so is WWE if you'll read the quote above. That's why any "roid rage" is now being ruled out.
Rossco, you have no idea. Enough said.
I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't rule it out. I know someone who has it about 20 times without injections - he's a gigolo.
You know no more than Rossco, Kylo. Testosterone exists in the body. What you are saying in effect is that we are all on steroids no matter what.
Benoit was not in a roid rage when committing these murders. That's the bottom line. He was thinking "rationally" (read: he knew what he was doing). And that makes him a flat out murderer. He was not under the influence of any drugs.
I am saying nothing else on this thread. This is my final post on it.
There will be no apology.
There were no steroids on the list. The majority of wrestlers suspended were using HGH's and pain killers. Do you want me to list them?
Incidentally - Chris Benoit was brain damaged according to a later study. So the deaths had nothing to do with steroids. He bumped his head way too much and it demented him.
And I don't take orders from you either. Do the board a favour and get away from me. Thank you.
What are HGH's?
Human growth hormones.
I thought Wrestling was supposed to be play-acting so why did this guy take so many hits to the head if he was doing it properly? Didn't he learn any break-falls?
That's not how he did it. He used the head butt a lot, particularly from the top rope. It's very easy to slightly mis-time it - even for a well trained wrestler - and when the spot is intended to miss his head hits the mat. Not hard, but enough times. His hero the Dynamite Kid ran into similar trouble (as I recall he's now confined to a wheelchair - his back is shot - as well as not having his full faculties).
Whatever the reason he killed his family and himself, it remains a dreadful tragedy and I hope some positive lessons are learned from it. If people such as him want to kill themselves, why take their families with them? I don't understand such reasoning.
We'll never know the answer to that one. That's the problem right now with the media (and this is what Rossco refuses to see) - they grab onto something that's not relevant and they run with it. The paranoia over steroids. Fox News is particularly bad at that and as such are an unreliable source for news of this nature. Fox News is generally pretty bad anyway.
If wrestlers often get bumps on the head that cause brain damage, the various federations need to take a good look at the sport and work out ways to avoid their people getting so many such injuries.
Unfortunately that's impossible. Such is the demand for high risk by the fans these days - the best you can do is not go too fast during a match. There have always been injuries in pro wrestling anyway. Accidents happen. Case in point - WWE Superstar Edge. He did a little spot that wasn't even in a match, and he tore a muscle in his arm. These things are a part of the business and it all boils down to how you deal with it. That's why pain killers are a much bigger deal - because the wrestlers should be taking time off when they're hurt, not continuing to perform through it. Heck, even I hurt myself training once not that long ago. I pulled a muscle in my back doing nothing more than a simple breakfall (and landing correctly) and I had to rest it. It was very unpleasant because I couldn't cough or sneeze without the pulled muscle giving me a new adventure in pain!
Keeping the sport clean of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs should also be a very high priority. Using artificial means to boost performance makes a mockery of sporting talent and competition.
I agree. Human Growth Hormones should be eliminated and pain killers should be better controlled - and not just for pro wrestling either (HGH's were apparently a problem in the Tour De France for example). At least the steroids are long gone - from WWE anyway (at least) and have been since (at the latest) November 2005 when Eddie Guerrero died. WWE are going to start naming wrestlers as from November 1 if they get suspended and they are co-operating with US congress with their enquiries into the recent spate of wrestler deaths in their 40's. I don't know if any other US promotions have co-operated (last I heard they hadn't and I don't like that at all).