Bison Dele Cause of Death – What Happened ?
When the death of a former NBA star in New York last November shocked fans and the world, it also opened up a dark window into the sport’s history. At the same time, it resurrected a long-time mystery: What happened to Bison Dele, who played for five different teams during his career and won one NBA title with the Chicago Bulls in 1997?
Those two mysteries — Wright’s and Dele’s — are just the latest in a line of professional sports players who have suddenly vanished without a trace. Those deaths, along with another unsolved mystery that involves a former UA player and his death in French Polynesia in 2002, are haunting the hearts of fans around the globe.
The Thrill of It All
In the summer of 2002, Bison Dele and his girlfriend Serena Karlan set sail from Tahiti on a 55-foot catamaran that they named Hakuna Matata, after the famous song from the 1994 Lion King movie. They were joined by the captain of the boat, Bertrand Saldo.
The trip was supposed to be a celebration of love and adventure. But it turned out to be a tragedy.
What We Know So Far About the Case
After his basketball career ended, Bison Dele embarked on an adventure of a lifetime. He bought a sailboat in Tahiti and sailed it to Hawaii, where he planned to live out his dream of becoming a pirate.
At first, he was happy with his new life. But as time passed, his moods changed and he became an increasingly withdrawn and depressed person. He suffered from clinical depression, and he also tried to kill himself on several occasions.
He was also addicted to drugs and alcohol, according to his mother. His family members believe that he killed himself because of his strained relationship with his brother Miles Dabord, who was in his shadow.
When he died, Dabord was in a coma and was being treated at Scripps Memorial Hospital in Chula Vista, Calif., for over two months.
His mother, Patricia Phillips, said he died in the company of three friends, two aunts and four cousins. She said doctors disconnected his life support and he died in the early hours of Friday.
Despite his mental illness, Dabord was the only person who could tell investigators what actually happened to Dele and Karlan in French Polynesia. A woman who was on the boat with Dabord, Erica Weise, told authorities that she had seen a struggle between the brothers.
Dabord, who was in a coma since September 14, had been a suspect in the case. He was suspected of killing his brother and girlfriend in a battle on the boat that led to their death, and also in a plot to steal the gold coins that had been in the boat.
Those were some of the details that Dabord reportedly told Erica Weise in an interview. But the FBI and authorities in France have not confirmed that account.
