Mark Rypien’s mental-health journey a positive work in
progress
UPDATED: Sun., Jan. 27, 2019, 6:43 p.m.
By Dave Boling
For The Spokesman-Review
‘Super Stories’ with Jerry Kramer and Mark Rypien
When/where: Monday, 7 p.m. (doors open at 6), Bing Crosby
Theater
Tickets: spokane7tickets.com/e/super-stories (For more
information, turn to page 3)
Alternate ending to The Mark Rypien Story:
It’s Super Bowl week again, and friends and family of the
late Mark Rypien think back to his greatest success, being named MVP of Super
Bowl XXVI. But their grief is still a blunt and persistent thing, and
unanswered questions linger about his tragic decision to take his own life.
They keep asking: What was he thinking? How could he not see he had so much to
live for?
That would be a prominent narrative this week had
Rypien’s wife, Danielle, not come home in time to force him to vomit the lethal
amount of pills and alcohol he had consumed. But she did come home. Mark Rypien
was saved, and he says he’s now feeling much better – calmer and less
depressed.
It’s been almost a year since Rypien went public with the
details of his suicide attempt, and of the “complex stew” of mental-health
issues that took him to “dark, dark places” – places where he felt rage and
mood swings, places where he made “crazy mistakes and terrible decisions.”
At the time of those first interviews with KHQ-TV and The
Spokesman-Review, Rypien spoke of his commitment to breaking the dangerous
silences and the historic stigma attached to mental-health problems. He would
be dedicated to finding answers to help himself, and to sharing those with
other depressives vulnerable to falling into those same dark places from which
he’d escaped.
His brain scans, he said, have shown “not a normal
brain,” and the fear is that his symptoms are those of chronic traumatic
encephalopathy (CTE) related to head trauma from his football career.
Rypien talked last weekend of this bonus period of life
he’d been granted, what he has learned about himself and mental health, and the
treatments available. He also delved beyond the medical, to the very personal
lessons about the strength of family bonds and the blessing of forgiveness, and
the healing power of repentance.
“I’m feeling much better,” Rypien said last weekend in a
phone interview. Psychiatrist Elisabeth Jorandby, of the Amen Clinics in
Washington D.C., “… has put me on some medications that have been helping me to
live a quality of day-to-day life that has been very comfortable for me. The
medication keeps me calm and less depressed.”
Rypien also has been treated with a series of 30 sessions
of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). “It maps the brain,” he said. “(It)
finds the pathways of the brain that aren’t firing and they map that. I started
that in August, and it was wonderful in helping me deal with the depressive
state I was in. Along with the medication, those two have really leveled me out
to where I feel more like myself, less anxiety (and) less depressed.”
He’s considering further promising treatments that
include blood work and hyperbaric chambers. He’s fortunate, he said, to be able
to employ “a village” of health-care professionals, and understands how
recovery is a process. Every day.
The feedback – mostly text messages and calls – was more
than Rypien could absorb at the time. He was so busy trying to get himself back
to the surface after being submerged in depression that he couldn’t respond
immediately to all the old teammates and others who offered support.
In the process of opening up, he had to learn how crucial
it was to be totally honest, even if it made the listener uncomfortable.
“Guys were like, ‘Are you doing okay?’ and it makes you
feel good they care,” Rypien said. “But you know how men are, our pride gets in
the way. I was like ‘Sure, I’m doing awesome,’ but deep down inside you might
be like, ‘No, my brain is about to blow up and I’m ready to check out.’ But you
just can’t push it under the rug like that.”
Even if they didn’t fully understand the pathology, most
imagined how much it must have taken for Rypien to come forward to address the
stigma.
“One in five people in the United States are dealing with
this on a daily basis, but we can’t sit down at a dinner table and talk about
it,” he said. “That has to change.”
Just talking about it isn’t enough. “There has to be
something we can do after that,” Rypien said. One thing: Rypien said he’s
working with Brian Kasbar, co-founder of Gemiini Educational Systems (video
modeling therapy for special-education students), to develop an application to
address suicide prevention. The goal, he said, is to connect circles of friends
of persons at risk so they can better monitor their state of mind.
Rypien’s cousin, Rick Rypien, a professional hockey
player, dealt with chronic depression and committed suicide in 2011. Rypien
said his cousin had completed a residential treatment program successfully, but
when he checked out, he told some friends that he hated the place and had been
faking his treatments.
“That would have been a trigger, if we had this app, for
somebody to get all over that; it should have been 911 time,” Rypien said.
Representatives of the Department of Defense and the
Veterans Administration are interested in the development of the application,
Rypien said.
Rypien talks about pathways that have been blocked or
perhaps misrouted in his brain. It can be true with the pathways in his life,
too. The healing of relationships can sometimes be as difficult as treating the
mental disorder.
“It’s not been easy,” Rypien conceded. “Danielle has been
awesome, very supportive. My brothers and my family have been very forgiving.
There’s people who can’t or haven’t been able to forgive, and I understand
that. There are consequences for the things you do in your life, and there are
people you hurt and you might never get their forgiveness. I’ve learned that.”
Rypien’s emotional KHQ interview in March 2018 revealed
that some of the “dark places” in his life included a Nov. 17 domestic-abuse
charge that was later dropped, with his mood swings and impulse-control
problems explained as the result of medication. Also reported was his patronage
of Spokane massage-spas that were shut down by police.
“My effort to fix my relationships has been through
interaction, being around people and talking to them, bringing up the elephant
in the room, and talking through it,” he said. “There’s still definitely work
to be done, but I’m at a good place to do that.”
So few of those who reach the stage of terminal
depression live to share their logic. As a suicide-attempt survivor, Rypien
tried to help with an explanation, but is still confused by it.
“I took that step that you don’t come back from,” he
said. “If it goes as you plan it, you’re leaving a lot of unanswered questions,
and a lot of people picking up the pieces and not understanding.”
The house was quiet and he was calm. “Then a lot of my
inner demons of dark times in my life started coming back, my guilt, my remorse
were too much for me. I felt I couldn’t handle it, compounded by not at all
understanding what was going on inside my head. These were all things I didn’t
know how to deal with.”
He took enough pills and booze to kill him, but his wife
found him on the floor and managed to get an emetic in him to save his life.
Rypien was the lead plaintiff in the suit against the NFL
regarding potential damages of CTE. He hasn’t finished his medical evaluation
for reparations. His ambivalence toward the game of football is now trending
toward disapproval.
“I see so many brothers (teammates) fall all the time, I
waver back and forth,” he said. Last week, he went to the services for J.D.
Gibbs, the son of his Redskins coach, Joe Gibbs, who died of degenerative brain
disease. He played football through college, and Rypien said the signs were
those of CTE.
“Football is a game … put it in perspective to the men and
women who serve our country – 22 of them are taking their lives every day,”
Rypien said. “I’m starting to wonder if we even need football, a gladiator
sport. Maybe there’s a way to do this, take some of the contact out of it. It
wouldn’t be the same, but you’re going to save the quality of their lives later
on.”
What would have happened if Rypien’s suicide attempt had
been successful? What might have come of his Rypien Foundation, and Children’s
Emergency Center it funds? Some 25,000 benefit from it each year. Rypien
established it in 2004 to help families of children with cancer. Mark and his
first wife, Annette, lost their 3-year-old son, Andrew, to brain cancer in
1998.
Maybe, in this past year, his message has reached persons
at risk. And maybe the app he’s working to develop will become functional and
effective.
In addition to the daily demands of getting better
himself, this concern over reaching others is an ever-present focus. The prime
message is for people to know that help is available, and there is no weakness
in seeking it.
“Maybe this is a way to try to correct some of the things
I’ve done wrong in my life,” he said. “Who knows, if it saves one life it’s
worth it.”
His wife, Danielle, saved his. Now he’s trying to pass
along the favor to as many as he possibly can.
::::::::::::::::
WSU FOOTBALL
Quarterback Gage Gubrud from picks Washington State; now
it’s in NCAA’s hands
Sun., Jan. 27, 2019, 10:33 a.m.
By Theo Lawson Spokane Spokesman-Review (with minor edit)
Pending the approval of a medical redshirt, Eastern
Washington graduate transfer quarterback Gage Gubrud (from McMinnville, Oregon)
will spend his final season of college eligibility at Washington State, The
Spokesman-Review learned Sunday from a source close to the player.
The FCS All-American and two-time Walter Payton Award
finalist chose WSU after confirming to the S-R via text earlier in the week
he’d narrowed his search down to the Cougars and another Pac-12 rival, Utah.
Gubrud didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking
confirmation, but on Saturday the quarterback retweeted a post from WSU’s
official football Twitter account, hinting at his transfer. WSU’s account
typically tweets the following post, “It’s a great day to be a WSU Coug!!!
#GoCougs #JoinTheHunt” whenever the Cougars receive an oral commitment.
The post was likely intended for junior college offensive
lineman Jimmy Price, who committed Saturday, but Gubrud has shown interest in
the Cougars throughout the last few weeks and multiple WSU players and coaches,
including kicker Blake Mazza, running back Max Borghi and wide receiver coaches
Dave Nichol (inside) and Steve Spurrier Jr. (outside), have followed him on
Twitter.
Gubrud’s 2018 season with the Eagles was abbreviated
because of a toe injury, suffered in a Sept. 29 game at Montana State, and the
QB needs to be granted a medical redshirt by the NCAA before earning his sixth
season of eligibility. It’s unclear if the NCAA had a made a final decision on
Gubrud’s redshirt by the time he decided on WSU.
A player can receive a medical redshirt if he’s played in
one-third or fewer of his team’s games. Gubrud’s toe injury happened during the
fifth game of EWU’s season, but the Eagles played in 15 total games due to
their appearence in the FCS national championship against North Dakota State.
The Cougars will be taking on a grad transfer for the
second time in two years. If Gubrud wins WSU’s starting job, he’d be succeeding
former East Carolina transfer Gardner Minshew, who led the nation in passing
yards per game and guided the Cougars to their first 11-win season in school
history.
Gubrud will be competing for the starting job with
returning redshirt seniors Anthony Gordon and Trey Tinsley – both former junior
college players who combined to complete 10 passes this season. Redshirt
freshman to-be Cammon Cooper and incoming freshman Gunner Cruz, an early
enrollee, will also have an opportunity to start for the Cougars.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WSU BASKETBALL on
Sunday, Jan. 27 2019
Men’s Cougars start hot but fall to Oregon 78-58 in
Eugene
Sun., Jan. 27, 2019, 7:17 p.m.
EUGENE (AP) – Louis King scored 13 of his 22 points in
the second half and Kenny Wooten had 20 to help Oregon rally past Washington
State 78-58 on Sunday night.
Paul White added 18 points for the Ducks (12-8, 3-4
Pac-12), who came back from a four-point halftime deficit to end a two-game
losing streak and avoid a fifth home loss of the season.
Oregon went ahead for good at 48-44 on two fast-break
baskets by King off WSU turnovers as the Ducks opened the second half on a 13-5
run. They finished the game the game on 20-5 run over the final 8:20 that
included 10 straight points
Robert Franks had 19 points to lead the Cougars (8-12,
1-6), who lost their third game in a row and ninth of their last 10. CJ Elleby
added 15 points and Jeff Pollard had 10.
After shooting 77.3 percent in the first half, the
Cougars fell off to 8 of 24 in the second half and were 25 of 46 overall for
54.3 percent. They also committed 17 turnovers off which the Ducks scored 21
points. Oregon went 16 of 26 in the second half and 30 of 55 (54.5 percent) for
the game.
Franks was 6 for 6 with two 3-pointers for 15 points as
WSU took a 39-35 lead into halftime. The Cougars made 15 of their first 17
attempts, including a run of 10 in a row, and finished the half 17 of 22.
The Ducks, however, converted seven WSU turnovers into
nine points to keep contact, led by King with nine points and White with eight,
despite shooting 14 of 29 (48.3 percent).
BIG PICTURE
Washington State couldn’t sustain any offense in the
second half after giving the Ducks all they could handle in the first. The
Cougars got just five points from starting guards Ahmed Ali and Viont’e
Daniels, who went scoreless in 23 minutes.
Oregon rebounded from another stinging loss with a solid
second half, thanks to King and Wooten. King, the five-star freshman, has taken
over the Ducks’ scoring lead from Payton Pritchard in the absence of Bol Bol.
UP NEXT
Washington State: Hosts UCLA on Thursday night.
Oregon: At Utah on Thursday night.
::::::::::::::
WSU MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES from WSU Sports Info
Senior Robert Franks led WSU with 19 points…he’s reached
double figures in 14 of the 15 games he’s played.
Franks had 15 of his points in the first half and was
perfect from the field going 6-for-6 and 2-for-2 from 3-point range.
Freshman CJ Elleby had 15 points, 8 rebounds and 7
assists…he’s scored in double figures in 17 of WSU’s 20 games this season.
Elleby had 12 of his points in the first half.
Junior Jeff Pollard finished with 10 points, reaching
double figures for the third time this season.
Pollard was 5-for-5 from the field and had 8 of his
points in the first half.
WSU shot .773 (17-for-22) from the field in the first
half…its highest field goal percentage in a half this season.
The Cougars’ .667 (4-for-6) 3-point shooting also marked
a season high in a half.
WSU’s 19 second-half points marked a season low for
points in any half.
WSU led at halftime on the road for the first time this
season.
The Cougars return home to host the Los Angeles schools
being with UCLA, Wednesday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Offensive Stuggles Cost the Women’s Basketball Cougs
Against No. 9 Oregon State
From WSU Sports Info
PULLMAN- Never finding their offensive rhythm throughout
40 minutes of play, Washington State (7-13, 2-7) struggled to score points
against No. 9 Oregon State (17-3, 7-1) who finished off the season sweep of the
Cougars with a 52-35 win at Beasley Coliseum Sunday afternoon. From the outset
the Cougars could not get their shots to fall, going long swaths of time with a
lid on the rim. While WSU struggled to score, so too did the Beavers who
managed to build just an eight-point lead at the break despite WSU scoring just
15 points in the opening half. As the majority of the Cougars and Beavers came
up empty on open looks, OSU's Mikayla Pivec was the lone shooter to get into a
rhythm early as the Beaver guard scored 13 of OSU's 23 first half points on a
perfect 6-for-6 from the floor. While both teams picked up the play in the
third quarter the fourth proved to be more of the same struggles for the
Cougars and Beavers as WSu outscored OSU 7-5 over the first seven minutes of
the final period before the Beavers netted the games final six points in the
last two and a half minutes of play.
WSU Coach Kamie Ethridge quote:
"I don't think you can over analyze this game just
like you can't think too highly about playing well against Oregon. I think the
thing with us is if we don't learn how to fight through adversity, and that's
where we are, if I were to say the struggles of building a top program it's
hard to get tradition. Oregon State has that now. Those kids know how to win.
When you build a program that wins a lot I think you create a mindset with
players and a better competitiveness with players and we're a doubting team.
We're a team that hasn't won a lot and we don't know how to sometimes. How do
you get better at that? You face it. You face it every single day and you put
yourself in those positions. I challenged them to say, 'what did you do
emotionally' to get ready for Oregon and what did you do today because it
wasn't the same team."
WSU fell for the 11th-straight contest to the Beavers who
swept the season series with the win at Beasley.
The Cougars used a different starting lineup for the
first time in 2018-19 with freshman Michaela Jones earning her first-career
start alongside of the Cougars' four veteran players. Jones finished with five
points, five rebounds, and two assists in 29 minutes of action.
Chanelle Molina was the lone Cougar to reach
double-figures in scoring with a team-high 12 points. She just missed her
second double-double of the year adding nine rebounds to go with two assists.
Borislava Hristova saw her 19-game double-digit scoring
streak snapped as the Cougs' top scorer was limited to just nine points on
4-of-16 shooting. While her shot refused to fall, Hristova did match a career
best with 12 rebounds.
The Cougars' big three scorers of Hristova, Molina, and
Alexys Swedlund came into the game averaging a combined 50.0 ppg but were held
to just 21 points while shooting 8-of-38 from the field and 2-of-12 from deep.
The Cougars' 35 points were a season low and the lowest
scoring output for WSU since a 59-30 loss at Arizona State on Feb. 21, 2008. As
a team, WSU shot just 25.5% (14-of-55).
While the Cougars struggled offensively, so too did the
Beavers who scored 52 points on 37.3% (22-of-59) shooting. Oregon State's
totals were bolsterd by the shooting of Mikayla Pivec who finished the game
with 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting to go with nine rebounds and three assists.
WSU hits the road to Southern California where the Cougs
will face UCLA, Friday, Feb. 1 with a 7 p.m. tip.
:::::::::::
In Pullman, Destiny Pivec leads No. 9 OSU over Washington
State 52-35
Jan 27, 2019
PULLMAN (AP) -- The bricks piled up for both No. 9 Oregon
State and Washington State, but the Beavers shot and defended a bit better.
Mikayla Pivec had 19 points and nine rebounds, and Oregon
State beat Washington State 52-35 for its ninth win in 10 games.
Destiny Slocum scored nine points for Oregon State (17-3,
7-1 Pac-12), which has won its past 11 games against Washington State.
The game was a defensive battle as both teams had
off-days from the field. Oregon State shot 37 percent while the Cougars shot
just 25 percent.
"I was really happy for the team that they got to
experience a defensive, grind-it-out type of win," Oregon State coach
Scott Rueck said. "The ball didn't fall but fortunately we got looks and
then in the second half we settled in a little bit."
"I thought our defensive effort and energy was
outstanding today and all weekend," Rueck added. "Our defense carried
us."
Chanelle Molina scored 12 for Washington State (7-13,
2-7), which lost its fourth straight. Borislava Hristova, who is averaging 21
points per game, finished with just nine along with 12 rebounds. It was the
first game of the season in which she failed to score in double digits.
"I'm really disappointed in our effort,"
Washington State coach Kamie Ethridge said. "We were really emotionally
flat."
Along with the subpar game from Hristova, Alexys Swedlund
was held scoreless for the Cougars.
"We got exposed in our lack of execution,"
Ethridge said. "Points were hard to come by."
Oregon State scored the last four baskets to take a 16-7
lead after the first quarter. Washington State was scoreless for the final 4:22
of the period.
Oregon State led 23-15 at the half after holding Washington
State without a field goal for the final 8:38 of the second quarter. Pivec had
13 points at halftime for the Beavers.
Oregon State was shooting just 20 percent (5 of 25) at
halftime, compared with 30 percent for the Beavers.
Slocum scored eight points in the third as the Beavers
took a 41-28 lead into the final quarter.
The Beavers came in averaging 81 points per game, while
the Cougars were averaging 69.
"They have three of the best scorers in the
conference," Rueck said of WSU's Hristova, Molina and Swedlund. "We
focused really defensively in this game."
GOOD DEFENSE = Washington State held the Beavers 29
points below their season average. They also held the nation's best 3-point
shooting team to 5 of 17 from long range.
BAD OFFENSE = The Cougars made just 14 of 55 shots, and
just 3 of 17 from 3-point range.
BIG PICTURE
Oregon State:
The Beavers' three losses are against No. 1 Notre Dame,
No. 24 Texas A&M and No. 16 Arizona State. ... The Beavers lead the nation
in 3-point shooting at 42.6 percent. ... They rank second in the nation in
defensive rebounds at 33 per game.
Washington State:
This was the Cougars' third straight game against a
Top-10 team. ... Hristova, a junior, entered the game with 1,504 career points
and is on track to become the team's all-time scoring leader next season. She
averages 21.7 points per game. ... Swedlund holds the WSU record for career
3-point baskets with 208, but got none on Sunday. ... Sisters Chanelle, Celena
and Cherilyn Molina are all on the Cougars' roster.
UP NEXT
Oregon State plays at Colorado on Friday
Washington State travels to UCLA on Friday.
:::::::::::::::::
WSU FOOTBALL
Washington State receives commitment from junior college
offensive tackle Jimmy Price
Sat., Jan. 26, 2019, 9:28 p.m.
By Theo Lawson
Spokesman of Spokane
Still looking to replenish on the offensive line,
Washington State received a commitment from a junior college offensive tackle
Saturday night.
Jimmy Price, a 6-foot-5, 295-pound tackle from Tyler
Junior College in Texas, announced his pledge to WSU on Twitter. Price, who’s
graduating from Tyler in May, is expected to sign with the Cougars on Feb. 6,
which would give them their fourth offensive lineman in the class of 2019.
He’ll have three years to play two once he gets to Pullman.
WSU inked high school linemen Konner Gomness, Patrick
Utschinski and Ma’ake Fifita during the early signing period. Two O-linemen
who’d been committed to the Cougars, Dontae Powell and Hunter Hill, didn’t ink
letters of intent and have since reopened their recruitment.
According to 247Sports, Price also had offers from
Arizona State, Southern Miss and Florida International. A native of Houston,
Price attended Stratford High School.
Price’s junior college team went just 4-5 in 2018, but it
wasn’t for a lack of offensive output. With Price at left tackle, the Apaches
scored more than 36 points per game and put up 70 points in a home win over
Texas A&T.
:::::::::::::::
WSU Women’s Basketball Cougs’ steam runs out
WSU builds halftime lead before No. 5 Oregon flips switch
in second half and rolls to 79-64 Pac-12 win
Jan 26, 2019 Trib
of Lewiston
PULLMAN — A 40-point beatdown was fresh in the minds of
the Washington State women’s basketball players Friday, when the fifth-ranked
Ducks came to Beasley Coliseum for a rematch.
The Cougars were determined to not let the best team
they’ll play all season embarrass them a second time and, to the surprise of
the several Ducks fans in attendance, led by four points at halftime.
WSU’s success did not continue in the third quarter,
though, and Oregon avoided its first Pac-12 loss en route to a 79-64 Ducks
victory.
“What a great opportunity we had to come out and play the
first half with such energy and such competitiveness,” said WSU forward
Borislava Hristova, who led the Cougs with 29 points. “But to win this game we
need to play for 40 minutes because we took a break in the third quarter. To
win this game … we needed to play every possession.”
Washington State (7-12 overall, 2-6 Pac-12) led 13-9
early on a Hristova 3-pointer, and led or tied most of the first quarter until
a Taylor Chavez buzzer beater gave the Ducks (18-1, 7-0) an 18-17 advantage.
Back-to-back Chanelle Molina 3s bolstered WSU to a 30-24
lead in the second quarter and the Cougars held on to lead 34-30 at the break.
“Last time we played them I couldn’t have been more
disappointed with our effort,” WSU coach Kamie Ethridge said, “and I was really
proud with how we managed the first half and played and competed.”
That’s where their steam ran out.
The Ducks erupted with a 17-2 run to start the third
quarter for a 49-36 lead in what was the pivotal stretch of the game.
Oregon’s top scorer Satou Sabally went 4-for-4 from the
3-point line and scored 14 of her 33 points in the third frame. The Ducks were
6-for-6 from long range in the third as a team.
WSU’s silver lining was it found its footing in the
fourth quarter and didn’t let Oregon run away with a big win a second time.
In the final 90 seconds, the Cougars garnered
old-fashioned three-point plays by Hristova and Molina slicing to the rim, and
a regular 3-pointer by Hristova.
“There was a lot of games that we quit at the end when
there’s a 20-point lead from the other team,” Hristova said. “We just had to
fight through it.”
Hirstova, Molina (18 points) and senior guard Alexys
Swedlund (14) combined to score 61 of WSU’s 64 points. Sophomore forward Jovana
Subasic (three points) was the only other Cougar with a field goal.
Meanwhile, Sabally went off for the Ducks from long range
(8-for-11 shooting from 3), while Ruthy Hebard and Sabrina Ionescu combined for
34 points. Hebard added 14 rebounds for a double-double.
Washington State is almost through a stretch of playing
three top-10 teams in one week. After losses to No. 6 Stanford and No. 5
Oregon, the Cougars play host to No. 9 Oregon State at noon Sunday.
“We’re going to play another top 10 team that’s playing
at a really high level and we have to emotionally get back up, physically get
back up,” Ethridge said. “So that’s really the challenge when you’re playing
that type of competition.”
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