The Bears hosted more than 50 former players at an event in Chicago July 10-12 that was designed to enrich and potentially even save their lives.
The alums and their significant others traveled from all over the country to attend the inaugural Bears Alumni Wellness Weekend at the Hyatt Centric Chicago Magnificent Mile. The three-day gathering, which was sponsored by Novartis, focused on mental and physical health and included medical screenings, guest speakers and panel discussions.
The weekend also featured yoga and Pilates classes and a Saturday night excursion to the famed Second City comedy and improv club. The yoga class was led by former safety Sean Cattouse and the Pilates class was led by former linebacker Christian Jones.
The health and wellness expo was held in conjunction with the NFL Player Care Foundation and the Tulane University Center School of Medicine.
"It's just paying it back," said Bears director of wellness Carla Suber. "For everything that [the former players] gave us, we need to also continue to take care of them.
"The one comment that I've heard the most from former players is, 'I wish we had y'all when I was playing,' or 'I had no idea the NFL is doing this.' I think they're thankful and they appreciate it. They realize, 'Oh, I did need this help, and I still do need some support.'"
Former players who attended Bears Alumni Wellness Weekend included Wendell Davis, Curtis Enis, Raymont Harris, Dante Jones, Erik Kramer, Jason McKie, Pernell McPhee, Ryan Mundy, John Roper, Craig Steltz, Anthony Thomas, Calvin Thomas, James Thornton, Steve Walsh, Mike Wells and Tim Wrightman.
The event began Friday with comprehensive medical tests for players and their significant others that included bloodwork, EKGs, echocardiograms and CT scans.
"That part is extremely important," said Harris, a Bears running back from 1994-97. "So much of our lives we just work off being reactive and taking corrective measures. Being able to get CT scans and EKGs and all these things that you don't normally do as part of a regular annual physical, this is detailed and involved. They're probably going to find a couple of things that are going to be very helpful for some of the guys here to be able to have a better life in the future."
There's no better example of the importance of screenings and early detection than former receiver Terry Obee, who led the Bears in touchdown catches in 1993. After participating in a similar wellness event near his home in Nashville last November, a blood test raised red flags and he was eventually diagnosed with prostate cancer. Fortunately, it was caught before it had spread.
"If I didn't go, I wouldn't have known," Obee said. "I was the blessed one. If you find out early enough, you can take care of it."
"At Novartis, we believe that early detection can change lives, which is why we are proud to partner with the Chicago Bears on initiatives that help raise awareness and encourage people to take charge of their health," said Denise Campbell, vice president of marketing strategy at Novartis. "The Bears' inaugural Alumni Wellness Weekend exemplifies the power of bringing communities together around education and proactive care. When health issues are detected early, people have a better opportunity to take action and may achieve better outcomes. We look forward to working alongside the Bears this season to inspire fans to talk to their doctors about health screenings."
Asked how vital Bears Alumni Wellness Weekend is, Obee said: "This is life and death because if I didn't catch it, I don't know if I'd be here. This is more life-changing than anything. What I'm seeing happening with the Bears is incredible. When you do that, you give a lifeline back to the guys."
Obee is now on a mission to convince other former players to be proactive with their health.
"I feel like it's a ministry to me," he said. "I have to give back. I feel like I've been given a second chance in life. I want to be more involved to where I can make a difference because if it wasn't for somebody helping me, how do I know I would be here?"
Saturday featured guest speakers and panel discussions about a variety of issues, including the importance of health and wellness, building strong relationships and dealing with addiction.
Mundy, a safety who played the last of his six NFL seasons with the Bears in 2014, spoke about transitioning out of the league.
"Regardless of your career, how long you played, how much money you made, there's always the final day that you're a player and you transition into being an alum," he said. "That's the common denominator for us all and having support, having resources, having people that can help you, it's really important and the Bears have been doing a really good job of engaging alumni and making you feel like you're still a part of the family."
Kramer chronicled his journey in a book that was published in 2023 entitled "The Ultimate Comeback: Surviving a Suicide Attempt, Conquering Depression, and Living with a Purpose." He's willing to speak openly about what has transpired in his life because he wants to assist others who are suffering.
"I'm an open book," Kramer said. "I have nothing to hold back and will welcome talking about anything because somebody might be traveling down a path that I have traveled at one time or another, and so anything I can do to help that person, I'll do. What I would say to anybody out there who is going through something they can't quite put their finger on: you do not have to go through it alone."
That same message was stressed throughout Alumni Wellness Weekend.
"It's great," Harris said. "This is above and beyond. It speaks volumes to 'once you're a Bear, you're always a Bear.' And acknowledging the difficulties with transitioning after the sport, approaching topics like gambling, addiction and self-identity, these are real things that are going on in these guys' minds, and for us to be real honest and open about it and to put together a program to help address some of those concerns is a great step forward."
"We have received a lot of positive feedback, both from the players and from their spouses, which is great to hear," said Bears director of player and alumni relations Matt Simeone. "There are a lot of heavy topics, but I think all these guys and their spouses realize that these are things that need to be addressed and that there are people here that can help them with resources through the Bears and the NFL."
