Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has died unexpectedly after an apparent “medical issue” at his home in Roswell, Georgia. He was just 33 years old.
According to ESPN, Roswell Police said officers were called to Thomas’ home on Thursday night “in reference to a cardiac arrest” (though that’s not what the family thinks happened). Once there, police found the former NFL star dead in the shower area of a bathroom in his home.
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Per TMZ Sports, police documents claim that dispatch early on advised arriving officers that the victim was “not conscious and not breathing.” Upon arrival at Thomas’ home in the north Atlanta suburb, cops had to push a gate open in order to gain entry into the property. Once there, they found Thomas laying on his back in the shower with “clear signs of rigor mortis” visible.
So sad…
Roswell officials have confirmed that an autopsy will be performed at some point on Friday.
While it’s immediately unclear what caused the young former pro athlete’s death, his cousin LaTonya Bonseigneur spoke with the Associated Press about it, telling the media org that the family thinks Thomas may have died following a seizure:
“He had been suffering from seizures for over a year, and we believe he had a seizure when he was showering. We’re not sure when he died. We just spoke with him yesterday.”
Wow.
Things can end so quickly. Just awful…
Thomas, who would have turned 34 years old on Christmas Day, had only just announced his retirement from the NFL back in June after spending nine of his ten seasons in the Mile High City. He was a superstar during his career, catching 63 touchdown passes and earning four Pro Bowl appearances with Denver.
The Broncos released a statement early on Friday morning, grieving the loss of “an incredible player and a special person.” In the statement, the team shared:
“We are devastated and completely heartbroken by the sudden, tragic passing of Demaryius Thomas. D.T. was beloved by our entire organization, his teammates and coaches, and our fans. Recently retiring as a Bronco, we were very much looking forward to celebrating Demaryius for years to come as one of the greatest players in franchise history. Demaryius’ humility, warmth, kindness and infectious smile will always be remembered by those who knew him and loved him.”
Thomas was, by all accounts, a kind and generous person, as evidenced by the massive outpouring of grief from all corners of the NFL world on Thursday night and Friday morning. He was also a legend in Denver, having been on the receiving end of one of the team’s most memorable plays — an incredible 80-yard touchdown thrown by quarterback Tim Tebow during the team’s unlikely 2011 playoff run.
Speaking of Tebow, the QB — whom the Broncos selected out of college alongside Thomas with the team’s two 2010 first round draft picks — mourned Thomas’ death on social media early Friday morning:
Please join me in prayer for the Thomas family.
— Tim Tebow (@TimTebow) December 10, 2021
In addition to Tebow, iconic quarterback Peyton Manning — who played with Thomas for four seasons in Denver — also released a statement mourning the young man’s death on Friday, saying:
“DT was a better person than he was a player, and he was a Hall of Fame player. That tells you how good of a person he was. He treated my kids like they were his own. He was there for every teammate’s charity event. … Absolutely devastated.”
Wow.
Tom Brady also shared his condolences for his longtime opponent on the field, tweeting this early on Friday morning:
Im so sad to wake up this morning to hear about the passing of my friend Demariyus Thomas. We were all blessed with his humility and positive spirit, and we will all miss him. This photo is from the Hall of Fame this past August, a source of light as always. ???? RIP pic.twitter.com/o3hvQN0cRz
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) December 10, 2021
Thomas’ life story was truly incredible. In 1999, when he was just 11 years old, his mother and grandmother were arrested and imprisoned on drug trafficking charges in Georgia. With his father in the military, Thomas went to live with an aunt and uncle.
To financially support himself during those difficult years, he would work for local farmers in the early-morning hours before school by picking corn, peas, and beans. He eventually earned a college football scholarship to Georgia Tech, and later became a first-round draft pick of the Broncos and an NFL superstar.
Years later, in 2015, Thomas’ mother’s 20-year prison sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama, and she was freed and able to see her son play football in person for the very first time. His grandmother, who had received a life sentence, later had her sentence commuted by President Obama as well in 2016, reuniting the family once and for all.
We can’t believe this was how his extraordinary life ended. Sending all our love to Thomas’ family, friends, and loved ones affected by his untimely, unexpected death.
R.I.P.
[Image via WENN/13WMAZ News/YouTube]
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