Family say Pozzobon was suffering from concussions, depression when he died
Family of champion bull rider Ty Pozzobon said the 25-year-old was suffering the effects of a number of concussions and was grappling with depression when he died Monday.
The young rodeo athlete was found dead at his Merritt home on Monday morning by his mother and a family friend in circumstances that investigators say are not suspicious.
“He had a number of concussions over the past couple of years, and that was contributing to his depression that he had,” said family friend Gail Joe, who was present when Pozzobon was discovered Monday.
“It came as a shock to everybody simply because although the family knew he was suffering depression and anxiety, he was still moving forward day-to-day, making plans, making coffee dates, signing contracts,” she told Postmedia. “(Then) it all came tumbling down.”
Pozzobon was a decorated bull rider, the 2016 Professional Bull Riders Canada champion and fourtime PBR world finalist.
He had also been suffering from a number of concussions in recent years, for which he had been seeking medical treatment, family say.
“It’s important that people know about the implications of head injuries as a result of concussions,” Pozzobon’s mother, Leanne, said in a statement Tuesday.
At the time of his death, Pozzobon was visiting family at his property in Merritt, with plans to return to Texas, where his wife lives and where he spent most of his time.