The Māori All Black remembered for his brain disease | Sunday

Billy Guyton grew up wanting to be an All Black. Instead, he will be remembered as NZ’s first professional rugby player diagnosed with CTE – a brain disease linked to repeated head knocks.

Concussions forced him into retirement from rugby at age 28, and he died five years later struggling with his mental health.

A video he made at the time shows how he sought out help and was ignored.

His whānau now ask where rugby was when he needed it most, and share Billy's message of why player welfare and education matters.

Reporter: Mark Crysell
Producer: Julia Sartorio
Camera: William Green
Editor: Paul Anderson

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