"Detectives continue to work diligently on this active investigation," police said in a statement Thursday announcing Henry's death. It could not be determined by accident reconstruction whether or not he jumped or fell. He was released by the Bengals the same day. Police said Henry and his fiancee got into an argument at the Tonga family home and she drove away on a curvy residential street near downtown Charlotte. 23. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said. We cry together, we pray together, we do everything together. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. File: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry. The good stories are the ones often remembered in death. All of the conversation at the Bengals training facility on Thursday -- and their wasn't much because of the widespread grief -- was positive reflection, but Henry shouldn't be canonized. He was 26. 32 NFL players who could change teams this offseason. "People say, 'How you feeling now Chris? "It just comes with time, you know?" NFL wideout Chris Henry was taken too soon from this world when he died at age 26 in 2009. "If you only knew him by hearsay, you'd think he's some kind of ogre," Brown said, during the Bengals' appearance on HBO's "Hard Knocks" series this summer. Many from Henry's hometown of Belle Chasse wore red ribbons with a small photo of Henry that read: "In loving memory" and "Chris 'Slim' Henry.". Henry was shy and spoke in a quiet voice. Time is ticking on contract talks between the Ravens and Lamar Jackson. "I learned to handle all situations, so I'll be all right.". Chris Henry DEAD: Car Accident Killed Bengals Receiver, Report Says. The accident occurred on December 16th as the 26-year-old was standing in the bed of a pickup truck driven by his fiancee, Loleini Tonga. Henry was unresponsive at the scene andtaken to thehospital and lived for about 18 hours before he was declared brain dead. No charges were filed against Tonga. / CBS NEWS, First published on December 23, 2009 / 9:00 AM. There won't be relief from that snapshot -- maybe ever. He loved my niece to death.". Henry, 26, died on Dec. 17, 2009, a day after he either jumped or fell from the back of a moving pickup truck being driven by his fiance, Loleini Tonga. His reputation was already costing him the Bengals were the only NFL team to bring him in for a pre-draft visit in 2005. Its been nearly 12 years since Chris Henry passed away. "The Chris Henry I knew was a good quiet young man, wasn't a troublemaker," said Shelley, his high school friend. Henry was only 26 years old. Man with long criminal record served with financial crime charges in Rowan Co. PLAN AHEAD: Latest Weather Forecast Video. Now that he is gone we're hearing more about someone who took advantage of the second or third or eighth chance the forgiving Bengals provided him. Jones joined the team just months after Henrys tragic death in December of 2009. Victims can lose control of their impulses, suffer depression and memory loss, and ultimately develop dementia. A neighbor said Wednesday that the Tonga family owns the home where police say the incident began. "He worked through adversity and came out of it to be a beacon of hope for other people," Lewis said. We love him.". "He walked past my locker every day to shake my hand as I said, 'Good morning,' and every day he said, 'What's up, cuz,"' Palmer said. She wonders if that love cost Henry his life. At the nucleus of that circle were his fiance, Loleini Tonga, their three young kids and Tonga's family in Charlotte. ", "I'm just trying to learn what happened, and what the situation was with Chris' brain," Glaspy told ESPN.com on Sunday. In a sense, it was already a second chance. Henry died Thursday, a day after he fell out of the truck in North Carolina, where he had been recovering from a broken forearm that ended his season. "People say I helped change his life. At his home, high up in the hills of Los Angeles, the actor considers the first twenty years of his surprising careerincluding a very viral 2022and the next twenty. He was also a father to two young boys and one girl. Teammates noticed a pronounced change in his demeanor. "Superimposed on the acute brain injuries Chris suffered when he died, there was fairly extensive damage throughout his brain that was fully consistent with CTE. Perry, Della and Paul brace themselves for the murder trial of the century. He'll be a soft-spoken, pleasant person.". "We liked him," Bengals President Mike Brown said on Thursday morning, shortly after learning of Henry's passing. Henry was rushed to the hospital Wednesday after being found on a residential road "apparently suffering life-threatening injuries," according to police. According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Henry and Tonga were arguing at a home owned by Tonga's family on Peachtree Road when Tonga attempted to drive away. "If you only knew him by hearsay, you'd think he's some kind of ogre," Brown said, during the Bengals' appearance on HBO's "Hard Knocks" series this summer. CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) -The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner's office has released the autopsy report for Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry who died in north Charlotte last December. "For those who knew Chris, he was nothing like his public perception. Henry was 26. Reports claim that Henry is close to death, and may not recover from his injuries . AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. But it doesn't take a collision with another player for brain trauma to occur. "It's a very difficult thing with this loss of a young life that won't ever get to reach its full potential.". Henry's football career was marred by off-the-field problems, beginning when he played college ball at West Virginia. Dramatic police chase airs live during sheriff's radio interview in Florida Charlotte is home to his fiancee's parents. In cooperation with Loleini Tonga, the mother of Henrys children and his fiance at the time, Jones has had a hand in raising Henrys boys and is now their adopted father. Witnesses told police Henry appeared to have jumped or fallenfrom the truck in which Tonga was driving. According to the autopsy, Henry's official cause of death was blunt force . Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads. BNO News is reporting that Chris Henry has died. Jones is also the father of three kids of his own, so officially having a hand in raising the kids of his close friend is nothing short of remarkable. Charlotte is home to his fiancee's parents. Henry is engaged to Loleini Tonga, and the couple has been raising three children. He got into top shape and worked out with teammates in the offseason, showing more resolve than at any point in his career. I just tell them I'm blessed. He nearly sank a lot of people, especially himself. "He had worked through trouble in his life and had seemingly reached the point where everything was going to blossom, and he was going to have the future we all wanted for him -- and he wanted for himself. We lost one of us. With the Carson Wentz era over in Washington, Commanders GM Martin Mayhew says while Sam Howell will have an opportunity to be QB1, the team, Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy feels reinvigorated after taking over play-calling duties, calling it "the most fun I've had since I've been in Dallas.". Coach Marvin Lewis said Henry had become a different man. All rights reserved. "We really lost a good friend, a brother, one of my best friends," said a watery-eyed Shelley. Henry and former Tennessee cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones became the league's two most trouble-bound players. "I learned to handle all situations, so I'll be all right.". "While it is impossible to know the decedent's intent upon leaving the vehicle, whether it represented an intentional jump or an unintentional fall, either act would be classified as an accident.". Fiancee Loleini Tonga Involved In Death. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. A loving and caring individual, he was thankful for what he had in life, and proud of what he had overcome.". 1, a loaded LPGA field and more to watch in golf this week, How to watch PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational on ESPN+, Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, Everything you need to know about F1's 2023 season, F1 season preview: Who's hot and who's not, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, Oral history: When Barcelona, Real Madrid played four Clasicos in 18 days back in 2011, LIVE Transfer Talk: Gvardiol, Bellingham named Real Madrid's top transfer targets. Photo: Chris Henry, right, with, from left, his fiance, Loleini and their kids DeMarcus, 10 months, Seini, 3, and Chris Jr., 2. Watch Live: Closing arguments underway in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. Police ruled the incident an accident. The reason why he was crying: The death of fellow wide receiver and teammate Chris Henry, who passed away Thursday morning from injuries sustained fewer than 24 hours earlier in a bizarre. His career seemed finished. Weve been working on this for three-[to]-four years, and we finally got it done like six, seven months ago.. He was suspended five times for arrests ranging from weapons charges to drugs. "If you're moving very quickly and suddenly stop, the brain bounces.". Who will win each 2023 conference tournament? Now, Tonga and her family have to bear a burden much bigger than the one Henry's teammates must carry as they try to play, win and extend this special season that likely will end up with an AFC North title and a playoff berth. In an exclusive interview with ESPN, Tonga said they were not discussing the wedding details on the day the accident occurred. Their days together in Morgantown is where they became great friends. When you see him up close, you'll find that you'll like him. Henry, who was a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, died in December after falling from his fiance's pick-up truck. } He's sorry for them, apologized for them, and has done everything he can to make himself a better person. After staining, normal brain cells are blue and uncluttered under a microscope, while Henry's brain cells were discolored, clumpy and filled with threads, according to the researchers. The Bengals wore round lapels with Henry's No. NFL draft questions for teams in the top 10: Will the Colts trade up? This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. #inline-recirc-item--id-d434d30c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-d434d30c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { 12 Vols lose starting PG Zeigler to torn ACL, Out of dark, Rodgers vows decision coming soon, Survey: Vikes, Fins, Raiders top FA report cards, Lakers' Davis out vs. OKC with right foot injury, Red Wings lock up Larkin with 8-year extension, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, A new home for Michael Thomas? This occurred after he fell from the back of a moving pickup truck, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Brown admitted that he really doesn't talk with players much anymore, but he couldn't get enough of hanging with Henry. Police said a dispute began at a home about a half-mile away, and Henry jumped into the bed of the pickup truck as his fiancee was driving away from the residence. "I'm just happy they took me.". Who is the player of the year in every women's college basketball conference? Charlotte-Mecklenbruck police tell TMZ Henry died at 6:36 AM EST this morning. And starting with Mike Webster, we have seen common threads in these cases: emotional disturbances, depression, failed personal relationships and businesses, suicidal thoughts, sometimes alcohol or drug use. Henry and Jones both played for the Bengals, but never together. Palmer made some chuckle as he remembered Henry's friendly demeanor. Photo . Jones career was reborn after Henrys passing, but he never stopped caring for the family his friend left behind. Police said the dispute began at a home about a half-mile away, and Henry jumped into the bed of the pickup truck as his fiancee was driving away from the residence. And to his credit, he at least seemed to try. Alleged pictures of Chris Henry's fiance: Click HERE. At the news conference, Glaspy said the results were a "big shock" because she knew nothing about her 26-year-old son's underlying condition or the disease. Police are investigating, but no charges have been filed. Jones life has been filled with highs and lows since he first stepped onto the NFL scene, but this is undoubtedly a commendable move on his part. "I'm just happy they took me.". On Monday, Omalu and a colleague, Dr. Julian Bailes, found themselves back in the news as they presented the findings on their latest subject, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry, who . He played for five tumultuous seasons in the NFL; he was arrested five times during his pro career, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him for the first half of the 2007 season for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Everyone know me and Chris was best friends in college, Jones said. His troubles continued during a five-year NFL career. Who knows if there ever will be a viable explanation that comforts her or the kids? December 23, 2009 / 9:27 AM We all family. pic.twitter.com/nywSiFdGhv. (17 Dec 2009) HEADLINE: Neighbor describes accident scene-----CAPTION: A neighbor of Chris Henry on Thursday described the . You doing all right?' He released weights of over 240lbs which when dropped strangled him to death. Bailes, a former Pittsburgh Steelers team doctor and currently the team doctor for West Virginia, said his quest is to make football safer. Henry also changed his personal life, spending more time with his fiancee and the three children they are raising. He had surgery and was placed on season-ending injured reserve following the game. Tonga's MySpace page identifies herself as "Mrs. C. Henry" and has a picture of her next to a person who appears to be Henry. "Hopefully I can share whatever they share with me with other parents and help the NFL deal with the matter of being hit in the head and concussions and to educate ourselves as mothers and fathers when we send our kids out there on the field. Henry was unresponsive when paramedics arrived. He was ejected from a game and suspended for another at West Virginia, where former coach Rich Rodriguez told Henry that he was an embarrassment to himself and the program. It's painful to us. They were teammates in college, though, as both played for West Virginia before being drafted into the NFL in 2005. "He's changed his life around. When Henry was arrested for a fifth time following that season on an assault charge, the Bengals decided they'd had enough. CINCINNATI -- It's interesting how tragedy can humanize someone. Haz clic en Gestionar ajustes para obtener ms informacin y gestionar tus opciones. CHARLOTTE, NC (FOX19) - The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner's Office in North Carolina released the autopsy report for Chris Henry on Tuesday. He'll be a soft-spoken, pleasant person.". "We'll miss Chris' sparkling smile.". "We would have been very happy if the results had been negative, but multiple areas of Chris Henry's brain showed CTE," said Julian Bailes, director of BIRI and chairman of neurosurgery at West Virginia. Police said at some point when she was driving, Henry "came out of the back of the vehicle." Selected in the third round, Henry played a vital role as a speedy, deep threat as Cincinnati reached the playoffs in his rookie season. All rights reserved. Most trouble-bound players questions for teams in the offseason, showing more resolve than any... 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