Former Boston Bruins enforcer Lyndon Byers, who passed away on July 4, 2025, at the age of 61. He has now been revealed to have been diagnosed with Stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE, by the Concussion & CTE Foundation.

Nearly a year after his death, his family decided to make the diagnosis public. It was under the hope to raise awareness around brain trauma in contact sports, and to help other families understand what they may be going through. 

The family went on to donate his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at Boston University CTE Centre after his death. CTE is a degenerative brain disease caused by continuous head trauma. It can be developed in physical contact sports like hockey and football. 

This is something that can only be confirmed after death. The symptoms include memory loss, mood changes, depression, aggression, hallucinations, and in more severe cases, it even leads to dementia.

"It was hard to see his personality change so dramatically," his wife Annie described his condition. "He was so fun and vibrant, but towards the end, it got to the point where he didn't want to socialise or even leave the house.”

She also further revealed how Byres battled severe depression, had episodes of hallucinations, and how his struggles with short-term memory loss made it difficult for him to navigate the day on his own.

"The NHL can do better to protect its players' safety," Annie adds. "Athletes deserve to know what head injuries can do so they can make informed decisions about their bodies and work in an environment that supports their health first."

Her words only added more weight to the difficult reality surrounding Byers’ post-hockey life, as tributes continued pouring in for the former Bruins enforcer beyond just his on-ice legacy.

Remembering Lyndon Byers On And Off The Ice

To understand why the Byers family's decision to go public carries so much weight in Boston, we need to understand Byers as both a player and a person.

Lyndon Byers was selected by the Bruins as the 39th overall pick in the 1982 NHL Draft. He went on to play 10 seasons in the NHL, nine of them in Boston. He ranked 11th in Bruins franchise history with 959 penalty minutes. 

In total, he played 279 regular-season games, scored 28 goals and added 43 assists, 

He was really a key part of the Bruins team’s trips to the Stanley Cup Final in 1988 and 1990. Byers later became a beloved radio personality in the city. He hosted WAAF's Hill-Man Morning Show for more than two decades alongside Greg Hill. 

He was a sports specialist for over 20 years before the show ended. The Boston Bruins gave a statement after his death. The Bruins called him "a true Bostonian" who "will be missed dearly" and confirmed he was "forever a part of our Bruins family."

Anne Byers' decision to make it public raised awareness, ensuring that the long-term cost of physical sport does not end with him.

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Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote