Jerry Nadeau's NASCAR career ended 14 years ago at Richmond Raceway.
Nadeau was involved in a collision that was one of the hardest impacts ever recorded in NASCAR history. The crash was recorded at 120 Gs, and Nadeau was left in a coma for nearly three weeks. He never raced in NASCAR again after 177 Cup races and one victory in seven years.
Nadeau, now 46, appeared in a feature story on NASCAR America to discuss the impact that injury had on his life.
A gruesome accident ended his racing career in 2003. Now, hear why Jerry Nadeau is pledging his brain to research:https://t.co/OfTXyvv9lQ
— Concussion Legacy Foundation (@ConcussionLF) September 8, 2017
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"I did everything I could, every rehab, everything I could do to make things better," Nadeau said. "My left side's kind of asleep. It's still in that numbness feeling. It tingles 24/7. Unfortunately, when you scramble the brains a little bit, what you have is what you have after that."
Nadeau said he plans to donate his brain to the Concussion Legacy Foundation. Fellow Hendrick Motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. also said he is donating his brain to science after sustaining several concussions during his career.
Nadeau said the injury that ended his career wasn't the only concussion he's sustained.
"I could probably list seven or eight concussions in my life," Nadeau said. "Obviously, if they can learn something from my injury, I'd be glad to."
The entire feature is worth watching just to get a perspective of how devastating a concussion can be, and Nadeau was very open and honest about side effects from the injury.
(h/t NBC Sports)