Today's guest is Lee Schwartz , a speaker, author, advocate, and proud father of two former NFL players. In his book Raising Giants, Lee shares the real-life story of how love, discipline, and vision helped shape his sons, Jeffrey and Mitchell, into elite athletes and grounded men. He serves on the West Coast Advisory Board of the Concussion and CTE Foundation , which is dedicated to researching the causes of CTE. Lee joined the podcast to share his powerful story and advocacy.
In this episode, Lee discusses his family’s journey with football and his growing passion for CTE advocacy. Lee shares his "sobering" experience attending the CTE summit, which inspired him to join the advisory board of the Concussion and CTE Foundation. He discusses the difficult reality that CTE is currently only diagnosable postmortem and the importance for parents to be aware of the risks to their children of playing contact sports when young.
Key Topics Discussed:
Lee’s Journey: How writing the book Raising Giants led him to the Concussion and CTE Foundation.
Youth Sports & CTE: The critical need for parents to educate themselves about the risks of contact sports, emphasizing the statistic that approximately 1.1 million high school football players exist, yet only about 11 go on to play 10 years in the NFL.
The Science of CTE: An explanation of how the brain moves and sustains damage from both concussive and sub-concussive hits. A recent study mentioned in the episode found that "neurodegenerative mortality was nearly four times higher in NFL players."
Warning Signs: Symptoms to watch for (like memory issues, headaches, depression, and personality changes) and a reminder that the youngest case of CTE diagnosed so far was in a 15-year-old.
Relevant Prior Episodes:
Interview with Julia Manning from the Concussion and CTE Foundation.
Interview with Laura Dyer (personal story of a brother diagnosed with CTE).
Resources Mentioned
Lee's Book: Raising Giants: My Extraordinary Journey with TWO NFL Sons
Author Website: www.raisinggiantsbook.com
Social Media:
X (Twitter): @RaisingGiants_
Instagram: @raising_giants_book
Facebook: Raising Giants
Foundation: Concussion and CTE Foundation (formerly Concussion Legacy Foundation)
Website: concussionfoundation.org
Free Support: Available via the CLF HelpLine (free, personalized support via phone, text, or email): https://concussionandcte.org/helpline/
Connect with Bethany:
Website: https://theconcussioncoach.com/
Free Guide: "5 Best Ways to Support Your Loved One Dealing with a Concussion" on the website
Free Consultation: https://theconcussioncoach.com/free-consultation