Aaron Hernandez was an exceptional athlete from an early age, a star in his hometown of Bristol, Connecticut. His father was a charismatic ex-athlete still known by his high school nickname, “The King.” He ruled the Hernandez home through fear, and a strong opinion of how he believed his two sons were supposed to act. The long shadow of Aaron’s upbringing -- and his childhood secrets -- would hover over him his entire life.

For more information on issues raised by this series, including suicide prevention, mental health, LGBTQ+ support, and concussion and sports safety, here is a list of support groups and educational organizations.

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When Aaron Hernandez was found hanging from a bedsheet in a maximum security prison cell in Massachusetts, he joined a growing number of former football players who’d taken their own lives. But he was the only one who left a trail of bodies in his wake. Spotlight investigates how Hernandez’s personal life spiralled out of control even as he rocketed to NFL stardom. His teammates on the Patriots were never sure whether he was a goofball who took a special kind of thrill in unnerving them, or whether he was truly dangerous.

For more information on issues raised by this series, including suicide prevention, mental health, LGBTQ+ support, and concussion and sports safety, here is a list of support groups and educational organizations.

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.