Aaron Hernandez was born in 1989, only one year after me. He played football in college for the Florida Gators and went on to play professionally for the New England Patriots. Despite his talents, Hernandez found himself in trouble with the law, with his team, and with his family over the years. All of this would culminate in his arrest and conviction for the murder of Odin Lloyd. He was also indicted for two other murders (Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado) while in prison. Hernandez ultimately died by suicide while incarcerated.

I have stated in a previous review of this case, I think that Aaron Hernandez was certainly a victim of abuse as a child. I think his father was an absolute miscreant, but I think he loved his father and was heavily impacted by his death...though I couldn't tell you why. I also believe that he was a victim of sexual assault as a child, which we know can have negative impacts on a person. There are also speculations about his sexuality, which could have an impact on his emotional and mental state. I am also a firm believer in CTE and am certain he was suffering from that. He also used drugs. None of these things excuse what he did, but all of these things combined certainly hold water when looking for an explanation about his behavior and actions. All of these factors should be considered when looking at psychological profiles and case studies.

This is the second book I have read about Aaron Hernandez. This book was mentioned on the Dateline episode that covered his case, so I went ahead and read it as well. James Patterson does write some solid nonfiction, and his ability to tell a story and keep people's interest is notable. I still have a very conflicted opinion on Aaron Hernandez, but this book was decent. If you are interested in the Dateline reading list, this case, or sports, this might be a good one for you.