Sam Pinchevshy III
Contributing Writer
As a man who’s name tells a story of its own, the life of Aaron Hernandez is one that a great deal of sports fans are familiar with.
In Netflix’s highly anticipated three-part docuseries, “Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez,” the heart-wrenching story of the downfall of one of America’s former brightest up-and-coming stars is unfolded.
Viewers have revealed an array of short clips, sound bites and camera footage that demonstrate the true cruelty of these heinous series of events. Nonetheless, it is also a tremendously valuable source of information for the head trauma that several professional football players suffer on a daily basis, and how CTE can most definitely change a person for the worst.
For those unacquainted with the infamous legacy of Hernandez, he was a young, promising football player for the New England Patriots; when in the summer of 2013, he was charged and sentenced to life in prison for the ruthless murder of semi-professional football player and Boston native, Odin Lloyd.
The documentary presents Hernandez’s upbringing and some of the factors that may have influenced the inconceivable actions he eventually made, including the unexpected death of his abusive father, habitual head and body injuries, and a secret of his sexuality that he would keep for his entire life.
The Hernandez family was one that revolved around athletics and was primarily lead by their father, Dennis Hernandez.
A neighborhood household name, as he also played football for the same high school as Aaron.
Dennis was said to be a violent man behind closed doors, however, his unexpected death was surely a factor towards the person Aaron Hernandez was then to become.
As a football player, the young Aaron Hernandez would always look at his dad as the vehicle that would maneuver him to be a better man, and teach him right from wrong. With such an abrupt tragedy, Aaron really had lost the one person that could contain the inner monster within him
Another valuable point made towards the madness personified in Aaron Hernandez was his monumental levels of CTE (Chronic traumatic encephalopathy).
Mahita Gajanan of time.com retorts a small stat from the documentary, “Following Hernandez’s death, a study of the ex-football player’s brain found that he suffered from the worst case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) doctors had found in a person his age.”
The rise of knowledge in CTE has not done justice to the actual harm millions of young football players are suffering today. It is a disease with permanent implications, specifically one that leads to behavioral, mental and mood swing problems. All these being characteristics of Hernandez’ cruel personality.
This shortlist of points to make towards what could’ve lead to Hernandez’s loss of control is followed by what was one of his deepest secrets.
It is revealed that Hernandez kept his sexuality private his whole life and often times the show also links that his beard was football
Some speculate that the reason behind the murder of Odin Lloyd was that he may have known of Hernandez’ covert affairs in the past and was then killed for it.
It is truly an impactful documentary as it really educates the world of one of the most historic sports crimes of all time.
For those debating on whether or not to give it a shot, there truly aren’t more shows like the one presented to the world in, “Inside the mind of Aaron Hernandez”.
pincs4@mail.broward.edu
