Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been off the field for quite some time due to his struggles with PTSD for the past few years. After initially sharing his symptoms in July, the running back has now opened up about the harrowing incident of 2018 that triggered his struggles.
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When Edwards-Helaire traveled to North Baton Rouge with his best friend, Jared Small, to sell a PlayStation, no one could have imagined the tragedy that would unfold. The LSU running back, at that time, was under the impression that all details of the transaction had been secured through the online app they were using.
The deal was supposed to take only a few minutes, but instead, they were confronted by the supposed buyer, an 18-year-old man, who held a gun to Small’s head and attempted to rob them.
With his friend’s life in danger, Edwards-Helaire, who was also carrying a gun, ended up fatally shooting the would-be buyer. This life-altering event left a deep impact on him, and he shared his experience from Dec 22, 2018, during his appearance on The Pivot Podcast:
“The very first thing was I don’t want my best friend dying. Second is if that happens to him, what’s stopping the gun coming towards me after the fact?… My only reaction was, either I’m about to watch my best friend lose his life or do something about it.”
The athlete also shared how he always carries a firearm for safety, having learned it from his ex-marine father and military-serving mother. However, Edwards-Helaire regrets the 18-year-old, Kobe Johnson’s death, especially after learning more about him in the aftermath.
“It was Jared or [Johnson]. I honestly hate how it went, especially just learning more things about the individual — I wanted the best for everyone, [and] I wish it would of never went that way.”
This incident changed the trajectory of Edwards-Helaire’s life, a “hump” as he describes it, and it’s the after-effects of the catastrophe that the running back carries with him to this day.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s struggles with PTSD
Having to kill someone out of the blue for self-defense and then undergo a criminal trial has understandably scarred the 25-year-old. Diagnosed with PTSD, and post-traumatic stress disorder, the RB was hospitalized several times and suffered from insomnia. Opening about the difficult time, Edwards-Helaire shared:
“These last four years, up until probably about four months ago, a complete roller coaster… Dealing with not only the mental side of it but the physical side.”
The Chiefs star further shared that the only time he would feel like his old self was when he would wear his helmet. Edwards-Helaire also mentioned how Andy Reid and the team’s medical team cooperated with his condition and have been supportive and understanding all throughout.
As they say, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and the RB has come a long way since the tragedy. He shared that the “biggest thing” for him was to finally find peace within himself.
“I’m doing a lot better than I have been these past four years. Mentally, physically, everything is just on the up and up. I’d say I’m probably the healthiest I’ve been since I came into the league.”
The first-round pick of the 2020 Draft was listed on the Non-Football Injury list at the start of this season. Clyde Edward-Helaire’s candid discussion of his struggle with mental disorder is an inspiring testament to his resilience and bravery.
