Two Young Female Athletes Die by Suicide after Head Injuries 

Ellie Soutter and Kelly Catlin were young female athletes full of life, hope, and ambition who never met but were united in one thing as they both died by suicide after head injuries. 

Catlin was a US track cyclist with three world champion titles and an Olympic silver medal. Soutter, on the other hand, was among Team Great Britain’s strongest contenders for the 2020 Winter Olympics snowboarding team and had a bronze model to her name from the 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival. 

They Were All Round

Besides their athletic prowess, the two girls were incredibly smart. Catlin was a Stanford University student pursuing a master’s in computational mathematical engineering. Soutter, on the other hand, had learned French in an impressive six months, having moved to France from England with her parents. 

Their passion for sports saw them do things that almost seemed superhuman. In 2013, Soutter became British champion after only three weeks of practice and still in her arm cast after having suffered a Brocken wrist. Catlin rode 80 miles through snowy conditions to speak to a grade school about her experiences at the Olympics.

But the lives of these two passionate athletes were cut short after serious head injuries that saw the two commit suicide shortly after. Catlin was 23 at the time of death, while Soutter took her life on her 18th birthday.

The Sad Stories

As is common with every sport, Catlin had had a fair share of falls during practice. But it was a crash that occurred in January 2019 that changed her life. While practicing downhill descent near Los Angeles, Catlin got in an accident that sent her skidding down the road, but she never thought much of it since she got back on her bike to complete the race despite suffering some road rash. 

It was later confirmed that she had suffered a concussion. Following the diagnosis, she struggled at school and could return to training because of her headaches. Her first attempt at suicide by the end of January was unsuccessful, but she eventually took her life a month later.

According to Soutter’s father, her daughter had suffered seven major concussions between 2013 and 2018, but the doctors said she would be fine since she was young. But her final concussion was huge, seeing her spend two nights at the hospital. 

After the accident, she was set to participate in the 2018 Junior Snowboard World Championships New Zealand in August but took her life a month before the competition. According to her father, the doctors gave her the green light, but she still struggled with concentration and insomnia.

Suicidal Thoughts Common in Concussion Patients

Patients who have suffered a concussion have a double risk of suicide. First, the injuries themselves tend to induce suicidal thoughts in patients caused by functional or structural brain damage, resulting in an inability to suppress impulses like a normal brain.

The second factor increasing the risk of suicide is stress caused by the life-altering effects of a concussion. For example, they could feel like the injuries are stopping them from being who they were pre-injuries. 

Researchers are yet to establish whether any of these factors are independent. However, most believe the two factors work together to increase suicidal tendencies. Studies have also shown that the effects of a concussion on a brain are more pronounced in women than in men. Sadly, support for women in sports is also very limited, as was noted by Catlin’s father. 

In Conculsion

The presence of suicidal thoughts among concussion patients highlights the multifaceted nature of these injuries. Both the physical impact on the brain and the emotional toll contribute to an elevated suicide risk, with ongoing research exploring their intertwined effects. This underscores the importance of thorough evaluation and care in personal injury claims involving head injuries, particularly for at-risk groups such as athletes. Furthermore, it emphasizes the need to address the unique challenges faced by female athletes who often have limited support. Understanding and addressing the mental health aspects of concussions should be a crucial part of the legal and healthcare processes surrounding personal injury claims, ultimately helping those affected by these injuries.