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Brett Favre, the legendary former NFL quarterback, has revealed that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the age of 54. Favre made the stunning announcement during a Congressional hearing focused on the misuse of welfare funds in Mississippi.
Favre, a three-time NFL MVP who spent the majority of his illustrious 20-year career with the Green Bay Packers, was testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee about his investment in Prevacus, a company researching a concussion drug. However, the 54-year-old made a shocking revelation during his testimony.
"Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others, and I'm sure you'll understand why it's too late for me because I've recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's," he told the lawmakers, this is according to current reports from media houses like NBC News then ESPN, and Fox News.
Parkinson's is a neurological disease and disorder which affects a person's motor functions, causing tremors, stiffness, and slowness of movement. There is currently no cure for the debilitating condition.
Favre's Parkinson's diagnosis comes as he is being investigated, along with dozens of others, for the alleged misuse of Mississippi welfare funds. A civil lawsuit claims that Favre and others diverted $77 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds from 2016-2019, using the money for personal projects instead of aiding families in need.
The former Packers quarterback is accused of plotting with ex-Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant to use at least $5 million of the TANF funds to help build a volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater where his daughter played at the time.
Favre has denied any wrongdoing and has not been criminally charged, but he is still owed $228,000 in interest after repaying $1.1 million he received from the state for speeches he allegedly never gave.
The revelation of Favre's Parkinson's diagnosis came as a surprise during the Congressional hearing, where lawmakers were questioning the NFL legend about the welfare funds scandal. Favre's declining health and the ongoing investigation into the misuse of public money have cast a shadow over the Hall of Famer's legacy.
