By the time the Māori All Blacks star died of suspected suicide last August, he had become unrecognisable compared to the man he was before he suffered multiple serious concussions. Christie struggled to cope with what was suspected to be CTE at the time, yet he remained determined to stay involved in the game. As the long-term symptoms of his head injuries began to take hold, every aspect of Christie's life changed. 'He was selling his house to pay for treatment in America so that he could try and get his head right,' Parkes added. Christie's death came just two years after his close friend and former teammate Billy Guyton also died of a suspected suicide.

Source: Daily Mail April 08, 2026 16:13 UTC