Former Ohio State running back Chris "Beanie" Wells has been missing from the airwaves of Columbus' 97.1 The Fan in recent weeks.
He returned to The Tim and Beanie Show on Monday morning and revealed the brain trauma, which he attributes to his football career, that led to him taking a hiatus to California in search of medical consultation.
“I went for an MRI scan of my head and saw somethings on there that didn’t quite look right," Wells said. "I was getting headaches. My speech was getting a little indifferent and also, I was forgetting the littlest things.”
Without wading into specifics, Wells further explained what he has endured and what caused it.
“The brain has plaque. I have some plaque separation. And when you have that plaque separation, it shows that you experienced some sort of traumatic brain injury. Obviously that traumatic injury for me came from playing football."
This led to a degradation of everyday motor skills and memory.
“The stumbling over the words in my speech – that’s normal," Wells said. "But the pausing and the thinking about what to say because I was searching for the words, that wasn’t me. I always knew what to say. I always stuttered and talked really fast, but the words that were supposed to be there weren’t there, and that was something that was alarming to me.”
Co-host Tim Hall said Wells will "do what he can" with the radio station going forward and that he would "not be here every day."
Wells, however, remains in good spirits and wants Ohio State fans to know he will not give up without a fight.
"I had to step away for a little bit and go out and get that addressed, and I’m still not out of the woods yet, but it’s coming. I’m hopeful. I’m here right now and I’m excited to be here.”
The full interview can be heard below:
