Skip to content

Family says brain of recently deceased rodeo champion to be donated to research

Rodeo champion's brain to be donated to research

VANCOUVER — The family of a Canadian bull riding champion who was found dead Monday says his brain will be donated to scientific research.

Ty Pozzobon, 25, died in his hometown of Merritt, B.C, and local RCMP have said they didn't consider his death suspicious.

The family announced today that they are working with Vancouver-based researchers at Nucleus Bio to arrange the donation of Pozzobon's brain with the hope that it will further the understanding of traumatic brain injuries.

Earlier this week, his mother Leanne Pozzobon said it's important people learn about the implications of head injuries as a result of concussions.

Nucleus Bio representative Sandy Price says researchers are grateful to be working with the family, and the contribution will help uncover "the underlying correlation between traumatic brain injury, concussions and depression that we understand Ty had been struggling with."

Neither the police nor coroner have released a cause of death.

The Canadian Press