The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Department has released their final report on the tragic suicide of Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley. The 121-page report creates a world of depression and severe money issues that McKinley apparently could no longer tolerate.
The Denver Post breaks down the story here, but be warned; it’s not an easy read.
McKinley was swamped by child support payments and Las Vegas gambling debts. Friend and former teammate Todd Brandstater attempted to help McKinley clear his debts by providing financial assistance, but it wasn’t enough. Bills began piling up and there simply wasn’t enough money to cover all of his commitments.
McKinley used a firearm that he purchased from former teammate Jabar Gaffney, with “self-protection” used as the motivation behind the transaction.
There isn’t anything about that story that isn’t heartbreaking, as the life of a young, talented man was taken before his time because of money concerns. It’s just one more illustration that the life of a professional athlete is filled with stresses and pressures far beyond performance on the field of play, and tragically, these pressures sometimes prove too much.