Donations flood in for former Bills star Darryl Talley

On Thursday, Tim Graham of the Buffalo News offered a glimpse into the life of former Buffalo Bills linebacker Darryl Talley, who has dealt with a number of physical, mental and financial issues since retiring from the NFL in 1996.

Talley is struggling with depression and has contemplated killing himself.

"I've thought about it," Talley told Graham. "When you go through the s--- that I've gone through, you start to wonder: Is this really worth it? Is it worth being here, worth being tortured anymore?

"It would be just as easy to call it a day. But there are two reasons why I won't. First of all, my parents didn't raise a coward. The most important is I want to be around for my grandkids."

As tragic as Talley's story is, it's one that will hopefully have a happy ending. 

One fan has launched a crowdsourcing effort to help Talley, which, as of 12 p.m. ET on Friday, has raised more than $40,000. 

"Darryl is the proudest of men and it took a lot for him to even admit publicly that he needed help," Frank Thomas Croisdale, the organizer of the GoFundMe page, wrote. "For 12 years he circled the wagons for us, now it's time for Bills' fans to return the favor for our favorite son."