Posted on 09/27/2006 7:36:05 AM PDT by stainlessbanner
Controversial Dallas Player Tells Authorities He Overdosed On Painkillers
(CBS News) DALLAS Controversial Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens has told police he tried to kill himself by overdosing on pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.
A Dallas police report released Wednesday morning said Owens told his friend "that he was depressed."
The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that (his) prescription pain medication was empty and observed (Owens) putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.
The friend attempted to pry them out with her fingers, then was told by Owens that before this incident he'd taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied. Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time (he) stated, `Yes.'"
CBS affiliate KTVT in Dallas-Fort Worth and other local media had reported that Owens had been taken to Baylor Medical Center Tuesday night, possibly for an allergic reaction to pain medication he is taking for his broken hand.
According to the Dallas Police Department incident report, Owens told police he took more than 30 pills in a suicide attempt.
Sources tell KTVT that Owens was taken to Baylor Hospital by Dallas Fire Rescue and that emergency room doctors attempted to induce vomiting.
Baylor Hospital officials continue to deny Owens received treatment. However, federal privacy laws allow people to block their name from being released.
"This is not serious," Owens' publicist Kim Etheridge had said in Wednesday's online edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Two weeks ago Owens broke his hand during a football game against the Washington Redskins.
Earlier Tuesday, Parcells said he expected Owens to rejoin his teammates at practice Wednesday and would start Sunday in Tennessee if he proves he can play.
"It's just, can he withstand the pain of catching the ball?" Parcells said. "When he can stand it, he can play."
The Cowboys had a bye last weekend, so Owens has yet to miss a game because of this injury. He's repeatedly said he'll play Oct. 8, when he gets to face his former team, the Eagles, in Philadelphia.
Owens chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room Tuesday afternoon and seemed fine.
Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.
When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill — who mostly deals with troubled players — said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.
Dallas police officials said they were planning a news conference, but did not immediately release a time. A hospital spokeswoman said early Wednesday there was no patient registered as Terrell Owens, although federal privacy laws allow people to block their name from being released.
Owens' publicist and agent, and the Cowboys, did not return repeated calls from The Associated Press. No teammates or Cowboys officials were seen entering the hospital late Tuesday night.
Thanks. I wasnt looking forward to my Saint Louis Bread Company lunch today. Now I have an image in my head I'll have to summon a Priest to exorcise..
The cowboys web site says he had a bad reaction to his pain meds. That happens when you take the whole bottle.
Eagels fans???? Philadelphia Eagles fans??? Yeah, that will happen.
And one thing that is true is that people who tend to show a sense of bravado like Owens has, usually do so to mask their depression to the outside world. Perhaps the realization that the Cowboys were his last shot, and it has been a bust so far probably started weighing on him very heavily.
It does make you wonder though about that supposed "groin injury" that kept him out for most of training camp.
You don't get your stomach pumped for an allergic reaction, it won't help.
On March 14, 2006, the Philadelphia Eagles released Owens. Four days later, on March 18, 2006, Jerry Jones announced that the Dallas Cowboys had signed Terrell Owens to a 3 year, $25 million deal, including a $5 million signing bonus, with a $5 million first year salary.
The poor soul. A releif fund should be started.
I remember my own actions during my recovery where there were times when I didn't want to do a damned thing, and there was no joy in anything, even things I ordinarily would love to do (can't tell you how many times I passed up on playing catch with my nephews or started model ships and them tossed them out before I got very far).
If he's sick it takes time to get a grip on it. I lost 26 months of my life trying to deal with it, and wrecked my career in the process, too.
If this is a true atempt to take his own life, then I hope he gets himself the proper help and recovers. I personally can't stand T.O. but I wouldn't wish this kind of suffering on him. The human mind is the cruelest prison of all.
I truly hope he gets his life together. I am so sorry he has resorted to this. I have been praying for him. So very sad.........
visions of the things to be
the pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see...
that suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
I try to find a way to make
all our little joys relate
without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it's too late, and...
The game of life is hard to play
I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
so this is all I have to say.
The only way to win is cheat
And lay it down before I'm beat
and to another give my seat
for that's the only painless feat.
The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn't hurt when it begins
The pain grows stronger...watch it grin, but...
A brave man once requested me
to answer questions that are key
is it to be or not to be
and I replied 'oh why ask me?'
'Cause suicide is painless
it brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
...and you can do the same thing if you please.
Sad comment.
Owens may be a jerk, but what terrible things has he done, what crimes has he committed to bring on the kind of derision reserved for child molesters? Better you should pray that in his dark hour he can find Jesus. There for the grace of God go I.
I wonder how many people realize those were the words to the MASH theme?
Yes, Im very insensitive.
The ones I've talked to are all hoping he'll pull through this. Having had him up here, we know what's in his past. It's up to him now to work through this, and with the support of REAL friends, not hangers-ons, he hopefully will. I wouldn't be surprised to hear Andy Reid or some of the players visit him after this. He has my prayers.
Not many........
Good question.
No, I agree. However, the article says that he placed two pills in his mouth in front of his girl friend. To me, that moves it from the horrible stage to the "let's-pity-me" stage and I have no truck with that.
I fully expect several thousand Tylenols to be thrown on the field, fans dressed up as vials and references to TO's attempt to defeat the Eagles as "suicidal."
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