Ohio State athlete Kosta Karageorge, 22, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head late last November.

Columbus police Sgt. Richard Weiner said Karageorge, missing for about a week after sending a text message about concussions, was found in a dumpster near campus with a gun. Karageorge’s mother told police he’d had several concussions and a few spells of extreme confusion. She said he texted a message Wednesday citing the concussions and saying he was sorry if he was “an embarrassment,” as stated in usatoday.com, Nov. 30.

A coroner says a special examination will look for signs of traumatic brain injury related to concussions. nbcnews.com stated that a growing body of research shows that repeated concussions can cause permanent brain damage.

Registered nurse Elizabeth Trevizo said that when an athlete has reoccurring concussions, they can have vision and coordination problems, long-lasting headaches, brain damage,  even death depending on the swelling of the brain and the severity of the concussion.

Football coaches have concerns about the safety of their athletes.

On campus varsity coach John Villareal said athletes are taught not to use their head when playing. He said they use the best equipment and the best head gear, and if there’s a suspicion a player has a concussion, they’re immediately taken to  trainers for an evaluation. If something isn’t done to prevent injuries,  the football program can be revoked.