Ex-NFL quarterback Erik Kramer shot himself Tuesday in an apparent suicide attempt at a Los Angeles area motel, but survived, law enforcement sources and his former wife said.
Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were called to a motel in Calabasas at around 8 p.m. for a welfare check, sources told NBC News. When deputies arrived they found a man, identified as Kramer, with a gunshot wound that was described as not life-threatening.
Kramer's former wife, Marshawn Kramer, told NBC News Wednesday night that Kramer suffered years of depression that she believes was the result of his time in the NFL.
"I can promise you he is not the same man I married," Marshawn Kramer said in a telephone interview.
Kramer, 50, helped lead the Detroit Lions to a 12-4 record and an NFC Championship appearance in the 1991 season. He later joined the Chicago Bears, where he spent five seasons before ending his career with the San Diego Chargers in 1999.
SUICIDE PREVENTION: If you know someone who needs help, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
