Former Washington Husky defender Nate Fellner has passed away, with details still unclear.
“He just couldn’t take the pain anymore,” said a former teammate and close friend who wishes to be unnamed at this time.
For everything Fellner gave the game of football, the game also took something big away from him.
”There needs to be more awareness of the mental health of former players,” Fellner’s close friend said.
In the 2010 season, the 3-star safety led the Huskies with 5 interceptions and tallied 79 tackles.
Listed at 6-1 and 201 pounds he built a reputation as one of Washington’s hardest hitters, but it was the late interception against Oregon State at Husky Stadium that helped UW defeat the visitors 35-34 in double overtime.
That victory helped the Huskies make it to the Holiday Bowl and avenge an early-season loss to Nebraska.
However, injuries began to take a toll on the Fresno, California naive —many of those only visible on an x-ray or MRI.
“He had been struggling with mental health issues for a while,” a teammate said. “CTE is likely a factor.”
CTE stands for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated trauma to the head.
The encephalopathy symptoms can include behavioral problems, mood problems, and problems with thinking. The disease often gets worse over time and is also thought to be a factor in the death of former Washington great Daniel Teo-Nesheim.
The following season injuries began to take a toll as he missed 4 games due to injury.
Fellner missed the majority of the 2012 season, playing only against Arizona, Oregon, and Washington’s upset of No. 8 Stanford.
In the years since playing for the Huskies Fellner and a close friend who wishes to be unnamed have kept in close contact.
Living in the Winston-Salem area in North Carolina, Fellner never married and lost his job last year.
”He was about to lose his house to foreclose,” a friend said.
At Clovis West High School in Fresno, California, Fellner finished his senior campaign with 105 tackles, three forced fumbles, 12 pass breakups, and an interception and was named to the Fresno Bee’s all-Fresno team.
In February RealDawg.com will have several stories of other former Washington players’ mental health stories.
