SPOKANE, Wash. — Warning: This story contains incidents of domestic violence and may be disturbing to some. Reader discretion is advised.
Note: Although Rypien and his wife publically identify as husband and wife, Wade's attorney Mary Schultz confirmed that the two were never officially married and lived in a long-time domestic partnership.
The wife of former NFL player Mark Rypien has filed a lawsuit seeking damages for physical and mental injuries that Rypien allegedly inflicted on her.
Rypien's wife claimed that he injured her through "continuing acts of domestic violence, including assaults, threats, batteries, and false imprisonments" over the course of their nearly two-decade relationship.
A lawsuit was filed in the Spokane County Superior Court and details numerous incidents in which Rypien was allegedly physically abusive towards his wife.
“[She] was with Mark Rypien for over 18 years. She continues to have empathy for him,” Wade's attorney Mary Schultz said in a statement. “But his past trauma does not give him license to inflict trauma on her. Injuries resulted, and those injuries have to be addressed. The kind of domestic violence detailed in the lawsuit is an unspoken but known reality of the NFL.”
Court documents state that Rypien believed he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma, such as football players and boxers. CTE can only be definitively diagnosed through an autopsy after death.
According to court documents, Rypien's wife was aware that he likely had CTE, due to his career in the NFL. She added that Rypien's "high-public status" became harmful to her because she began experiencing his "rages, threatening and erratic mood swings, and ultimately, physical abuse."
The complaint states that Rypien started to tell his wife about his desire to hurt others, which she perceived as a threat to her. Rypien allegedly described how he would hurt his wife if she left him or exposed his behavior.
Documents state that Rypien's wife variously sought medical attention and that provider notes revealed their suspicion of domestic violence. According to provider notes, Rypien's wife would sometimes admit to such but "would make every effort" to not disclose Rypien's name.
Rypien's wife said that a pattern of physical and emotional abuse began on or after October 2008 and became worse over the years they were together. In one incident, Rypien allegedly wrapped his arms around his wife and squeezed her so hard that she was unable to breathe and her ribs became bruised. She recalled this incident as the first time she "felt significant pain and fear for her life."
While the couple was attending a fundraiser in Pennsylvania in June 2015, Rypien allegedly shoved his wife hard enough that she hit her head on the side of their resort room door. The next morning, court documents state that Rypien's wife could not stand up or walk and began vomiting. She was then taken to the hospital for a CT scan of her head and brain.
By 2016, Rypien's wife began experiencing what she described as "cognitive decline."
While the couple was in New Jersey in December of that year, Rypien allegedly became mad and trapped his wife in the car while driving "ragefully and dangerously." Court documents state that Rypien was profanely berating his wife until she was able to escape the vehicle.
Once she escaped, people who witnessed the incident called emergency services. Rypien's wife was examined by EMS responders and reportedly told them that she would not tell the police what happened. She also allegedly told EMS personnel that no one could help her because Rypien "was too well known, too powerful, and had played for the Washington Redskins."
Nearly a year later, in November 2017, Rypien allegedly put his hands around his wife's throat and began tossing her physically by the throat. Rypien's wife scratched him on the neck in order to get away from him, which resulted in her being arrested.
Court documents state that Rypien did not tell police what actually happened but agreed with his wife's arrest.
Washington state law mandates that police make an arrest when responding to a domestic violence call if they have probable cause to believe that a domestic assault occurred.
Rypien's wife reportedly told her physician that she was experiencing memory problems in December 2017. In April 2018, she took part in a sleep study and an Electroencephalogram (EEG) through Deaconess Hospital. Court documents state that the results were moderately assuring to her, but her perception of her cognitive decline began causing her additional stress.
While the couple was attending a golf event in Bermuda in November 2018, court documents state that Rypien hit his wife in the head and neck, pushed her to the ground of their hotel room, picked her up and threw her against a wall, against the bed and onto the floor, causing her to get a black eye and bruises on her body.
In February 2019, Rypien reportedly took his wife to Providence Holy Family Hospital in Spokane. He allegedly told providers that his wife had gotten drunk and fallen. Rypien's wife reportedly told doctors that she was experiencing pain in her ribs and apologized for drinking so much.
During this hospital visit, court documents state that medical providers suspected domestic violence and separated the two. Rypien's wife allegedly acknowledged that a stressor in her life was her husband's brain injury, but said that the two were involved in counseling.
Providers reportedly told Rypien's wife that she could go to a women's shelter or stay in the emergency department to talk with social services, but she ultimately declined the offer.
A misdemeanor assault charge against Rypien was dropped in July 2019 after he was arrested for domestic violence. He was facing a fourth-degree assault-domestic violence charge but pleaded not guilty was released from jail on his own recognizance.
According to a police report filed on June 30, 2019, Rypien told an officer he hit his wife because she was covering his face during an argument while he was driving.
When officers responded to the intersection of Garland Street and Maple Street that evening, they found Rypien’s wife lying in the lawn of a bank, curled up and holding her stomach, according to a police report.
The report said Rypien told officers his wife also hit him in the head with a cell phone and poured water on him after taking the keys out of the ignition while he was driving.
According to court documents, Rypien's wife allegedly told police, "If you have to do something legal here, I'm going to have to say it was one me and I was sick." She then told the officer that she was taking the blame for his assault because there was a charity involved.
In August 2019, Rypien's wife reportedly told her psychologist about "severe" stressors in her life and how those stressors were impacting her ability to function. She also reportedly told her psychologist of physical symptoms she was experiencing, which the psychologist recognized as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The lawsuit states that Rypien's wife felts she could not remove herself from the situation for years for fear of Rypien's alleged abuse, rage and because "she was bound by family and by the player as the caregiver."
Documents go on to state that Rypien's wife suffers from "irreparable injury, fragility, cognitive difficulties, isolation, fear, loss of society, loss of independence, extreme anxiety, paranoia and hopelessness."
Rypien's wife is seeking damages for all of her injuries "in an amount sufficient to compensate her for her injuries sustained from [Rypien's] continuing actions," according to documents.
KREM 2 reached out to Rypien for comment and received the following statement from his family:
"We empathize with those suffering from mental illness and our thoughts and prayers are with Ms. Wade as she moves forward. Although we question Ms. Wade’s recollection and assertions in her claim, we recognize the seriousness of any accusation of domestic violence perpetrated against women or men. As a family, we are prepared to ensure a holistic review of the facts in the appropriate forum." - Rypien Family