NRL great Paul Green has been diagnosed with degenerative brain disease CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in the aftermath of his death.
There was an outpouring of emotion in the league world when Green took his own life at his Brisbane home in August, aged 49.
In an interview with the Weekend Australian, Green's wife Amanda revealed her husband had been confirmed to have been suffering from CTE - a diagnosis that can only be determined in brain analysis after death.
CTE is a disease that has been linked to careers with repeated head knocks and medical experts believe it can spark impulsive behaviour.
With no signs that Green was depressed or struggling, Professor Michael Buckland from the Australian Sports Brain Bank said the NRL-winning coach was suffering from one of the most "severe forms of pure CTE" he had seen.
"I came home and found him … that was it," Amanda said.
"There were no signs. We often talked about our future and what that looked like. I never once doubted that we would spend the rest of our lives together."
Amanda said the CTE diagnosis helped her explain Green's passing to their two children Emerson and Jed.
"I was able to sit Jed down and explain: ‘Daddy’s brain was sick, that’s why he did what he did’," Amanda said.
"The diagnosis has helped them understand what happened.
"For my daughter Emerson it has also given her a sense of relief because of what’s being said out there [that Green had depression].
"She now understands that he wasn’t in that space and there’s nothing we could have done, because he was sick. We just didn’t know it.
"This diagnosis has helped us understand and rationalise what has happened. It has given myself, the kids, some peace.
"If there’s a chance that Paul’s story could help the next family spot the warning signs, and maybe be better prepared, then it’s a story that needs to be."
Green played 162 games with five NRL clubs - Cronulla, North Queensland, Roosters, Parramatta and Brisbane.
As coach, he led the Cowboys to the 2015 NRL Premiership in his second year at the helm.
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