May 2, 2013 will mark the 10th anniversary of the accident that stripped Jerry Nadeau of his passion. He recalls being the fastest thing on site at Richmond International Raceway that day during practice. And after changing a shock, he re-entered the racetrack, barreled off into Turn 1 and spun into the concrete wall, driver’s side. It nearly killed him. Nadeau said his wreck registered at 121 times the force of gravity. By comparison, the hits that recently sent Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the doctor with successive concussions registered 40 G’s at Kansas and 20 G’s at Talladega, respectively. Nadeau suffered a traumatic brain injury, four broken ribs and a collapsed lung. He spent time in a medically induced coma and didn’t regain full consciousness for three weeks. He would never race again.
“I just don’t know what to do now,” he said. “I’m literally lost at times. I wake up like, ‘Well, what am I doing today?’ There are so many times that I forget things. I feel normal. I feel like I’m myself. Sounding OK is one thing. But something’s not right. I used to have so much get-up-and-go. Right now I’m just a loaf. I don’t know if the injury had anything to do with it, but I’m just not interested in doing anything. The hit took a lot out of me. I think right now I’m just surviving. Racing was my life, and it got taken away.”
“My whole life I was selfish. It was always just me – all me,” he said. “Then I realized that if I took one more hit it could be my last hit. It doesn’t take much to injure your brain. I’ve had a few concussions – I’ve had a lot, actually – from go-karts to modifieds to sports cars to the Cup series. And every time you get a concussion you damage something in your brain. I can’t tell you how many times I had headaches – constant headaches. And I never once thought about an injury, or my brain.” Nadeau still suffers from depression. He said he takes medication daily to cope. Before he married Mary Anna four months ago, he said he would at times hole himself up in his bedroom, draw the blinds, order pizza and watch movies all day. When asked if doctors cite his brain injury as a contributing factor to his ongoing depression, Nadeau was uncertain.
He tried for a time to mentor young racers. Frye recalled Nadeau’s pride in working with David Gilliland, leading up to Gilliland’s breakthrough 2006 Nationwide Series victory at Kentucky Speedway. But being at the racetrack was emotionally destructive for Nadeau. He’s a former Cup series winner (one victory in 177 starts), and he was made to feel like just another guy. Nadeau still wonders what’s next. Fortunately he made sound financial choices both before and after the injury. “It’s been hard. It’s been really, really hard. It’s almost like I lost my life.”
I have absolutely no compassion for this guy. I do feel bad that he got injuried racing but what he did with his life afterwards is “awe poor me”. I saw a real man throw out the first pitch in the World Series last night. He is a marine that lost both his legs and an arm fighting for our country. He went through major rehabilitation and can now walk with prosthetics and wear the marine uniform with pride. I was amazed when he threw the pitch- it was perfect. Nadeau needs to meet this Marine. He will possibly realize he is a worthless crybaby and maybe cause him grow some balls and do something positive with his life instead of weeping tears because he can’t race. Poor Nadeau my ass.
Nadeau had serious mental and psychological injuries. Sometimes that can be more debilitating than losing a limb. Not fair to compare… He suffered huge losses too…
Carol
[QUOTE=carolwicks;114660]Nadeau had serious mental and psychological injuries. Sometimes that can be more debilitating than losing a limb. Not fair to compare… He suffered huge losses too…
Carol[/QUOTE]
I stand by my comments and add this, he is a bit to much self-centered. His injuries did not cause his depression, his lack of manhood did. Please compare him to the marine and rethink your opinion. Don’t forget the marine was a strong minded and bodied man before his injures. Nadeau admitted all he ever cared about was himself. Pitiful in comparison to most men I know and no comparison to the Marine. So Nadeau can’t race, waaaaa !
Poor Nadeau, he was made to feel like just another guy. Sounds to me like his feelings got hurt. Awe poor Nadeau. Feel sorry for this clown, you need a bandaid for your bleeding heart. I hope he reads my comments and thinks about what is important in life. Friends, Family, and doing something positive with your life, not sitting in a dark room crying because you can’t race and everybody treats you like another guy. I would wager his real friends have told him something similar. pleaaaase.
Here’s a link to a longer version of the story. Like I said, I feel bad he got injuried but he’s to self-centered to recover. I have not changed my position.
Your comments toward Jerry Nadeau show you have a fundamental misunderstanding of mental illness/brain injury. Although the Marine you describe suffered terrible injuries, I will wager they were not to his head. He has maintained his clear focus and positive attitude in the face of all the problems, and has made a spectacular recovery.
Depression is a disorder that strikes regardless of physical condition, mental capacity, or even the best attitude. It is magnified by repeated concussions (see the recent Circle Track article) or other head injuries. Clearly, the massive injuries suffered by Mr. Nadeau should be expected to change his life in some way, and they certainly have.
I wish his story was an uplifting tale of recovery and triumph in the face of adversity. Its not unfolding that way, but it is still being written. I think it is wrong to accuse a depressed person of not trying to live normally. We agree that some people are whiney quitters, but how do you know that is the case with Jerry Nadeau?
My opinion is based on his quotes and the fact he is was medically cleared to race. It sounds to me like he is drowning in self-pity. I am aware mental depression is an illness but explain to me why we have so much of it in the United States ? Sure, I’m a calloused hard ass and I don’t have any patience for self-pity.
Nadeau is drowning in a sea of self-pity. I say paint a big round rock orange, tie a rope to it and toss it to Nadeau. Then yell, hang on Jerry.
If he gets his act together and realizes he ain’t no superstar driver but a guy that had success at the top and went out on an injury. Then does something positive, I’ll be the first in line to ask for his autograph. Till then, he better hope that rock I toss him floats.
Boney, am I gonna have to start calling you cartilage man instead of Boneman because you are getting so soft ? I expected it from Carol because she is so motherly. Baahahahaha, only humor in the face of adversity.
im not being a mushy mom…im trying to be a decent human being that realizes all of us have different thresholds and some more capable of others to tolerate big changes in our lives. Young ppl are committing suicide everyday now. The world is changing and not for the better. We all have different degrees of tolerance. I remember Jerry Nadeau being a really nice guy. He has suffered and he doesnt quite know how to handle it. Its not something he could want. Do you know him personally. You would have to because the media are full of horse spit!
Just saying…
Carol
Alright, Dave’s cut and paste story only contains pieces of the original article. I don’t know if Dave cut and paste the pieces of this story or found it that way. Anyway, if you read Dave’s post then read the ESPN link to the original story, you will see a much different story.
I still think Nadeau needs to be less self centered and have alot less self pity but maybe he is not as lost as I first thought. He does focus on his wife and daughter which he wants to race gocarts. Great, another parent living their life through their kid.
Excuses are plentiful in today’s society. I think they teach them in school now. Excuses 101 and how to be properly offended 101 are prerequisites to American History courses.
Sadly you are probably not alone in your opinion. I do hope you are alone or in a significant minority as it reates to your lack of knowledge or compassion for the global impact of a concussion on a persons physical and mental abilities in the aftermath. This was not a simple ringing of his bell he was fortunate to survive. The medical community is just beginning to try to fully understand what is happening and how to deal with it. The NFL lawsuits will finally give this issue financial legs and that is the real driving force behind most scientific endeavors.
The brain is composed of many different areas that control mental and physical bodily functions. Nadeau’s doctor report did not confirm his depression was caused by his injury. Many top level athletes that get injuried or age go through depression when their lifestyle changes. Depression is not always the result of a concussion. I’ve bumped my head many times, damn, now I get it.
Does it really matter what caused the depression? It’s still an illness and can be very serious and debilitating. You don’t just shake it off. I’m sure you don’t understand. You would if you had it or had someone very close to you that did.
Oh but I do understand. I can guarantee you I have a great deal of insight in this story and some inside information I won’t share.
Nadeau is drowning in self-pity. It’s obvious if you read his quotes and have followed the story from the day he crashed. I listened to what was said on here by each of you and took today to research head injuries and Nadeau’s history after the crash. What I found is a guy that can’t handle being an average guy. He can’t regress and get a job like the rest of us because it tears him apart mentally to be considered another guy. That in itself should explain why I say he is drowning in self pity. He was cleared to race, but could not and still can not find a ride. This exaggerates the self pity. He has been medicated for his depression, anti depression medication don’t work on self-pity, it does work on clinical depression. Yes I understand clinical depression. I have a family member that went through hard times, lost his job as a CEO of a large company, went through a divorce, and lost everything. He was diagnosed with clinical depression, prescribed Prozac, and eventually got his life back together. He’s working his way back up the chain in a company in North Carolina. I tell you this story so you will believe me when I say I have first hand experience with clinical depression.
Nadeau needs to keep the good memories of the past, be proud of his accomplishments, support his family, and get a freaking job like the rest of us.
If Nadeau was a CEO, Rap star, or famous actor you people would have a different outlook and opinion about this story. You are all BLINDED to the facts because you suffer from the same addiction and passion-RACING
A famous rap star was on tour and had a car accident late one night after a concert. He was replaced by a younger artist while he was recovering. After his recovery he could not find a record label to support his music. It’s been 10 years since he worked in music or held a job. Every time he went into a studio, he felt that nobody thought of him as a superstar any longer. He now stays home alot and plays video games and sings karaoke all day.
How do you feel about this guys self-pity ? Sure they label it depression, but should we feel bad for him after 10 years of doing nothing positive with his life ?
It has been proven that lifestyle changes can reverse depression. How long do we call it depression ? Does it ever become self pity ?
