Lance Easley made one controversial call as a NFL referee, and said his life was forever changed.
Easley suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and severe depression, and said his faith is all that remains of the old him.
The 55-year-old was a replacement referee in the NFL during the 2012-2013 season, when a contract dispute took the usual refs off the field.
Yahoo Sports reported that the season was plagued by bad calls, and the players, coaches, and fans were increasingly frustrated by the less experienced referees.
Easley was a Bank of America executive who officiated high school and college games for 30 years. Nothing would prepare him for what he experienced during a Week 3 matchup between Green Bay and Seattle, however.
In the final play of the game, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw a Hail Mary that both the Packers' M.D. Jennings and the Seahawks' Golden Tate got their hands on.
None of the refs saw Tate's pass interference, and Easley called Seattle touchdown. Many felt the play - now known as the "Fail Mary" - should have an interception by Green Bay, and lashed out at Easley online.
The torment led to death threats, jokes on national television, and a seemingly endless barrage of insults.
"I felt like I didn't want to be here anymore," Easley admitted. "I never acted on it. It was horrible to have those thoughts. I hated having those thoughts."
Easley spent time in inpatient treatment, is on leave from the bank, and separated from his wife in September. He said that his career, finances, and personal life are a wreck.
"Health, finances, marriage. If you have trouble in one of those it can be tough," he said. "I have all three."
Now, he is trying to rebuild. The devout Christian is attending outpatient treatment, and sharing his story with others to raise awareness of mental illness.
"I know I'll recover," he said. "I know it. It's just going to take time to get through it."
