Following the news that Demaryius Thomas passed away at the age of 33, his former teammates and loved ones are honoring the former Super Bowl champion.
Thomas was found dead in his Roswell, Georgia, home following a medical issue, according to police officials, per CNN. His first cousin LaTonya Bonseigneur addressed her family member’s unexpected death on Friday, December 10.
“He had been suffering from seizures for over a year, and we believe he had a seizure when he was showering,” Bonseigneur told the Associated Press. “We’re not sure when he died. We just spoke with him yesterday. He was alone and a friend couldn’t get hold of him, so he called his driver, who has a key because of these seizures, and he went into his home and found him in the shower.”
After the news of the former Denver Broncos player’s death made headlines, the team released a statement.
“We are devastated and completely heartbroken by the sudden, tragic passing of Demaryius Thomas,” a statement from the Denver Broncos read. “D.T. was beloved by our entire organization, his teammates and coaches and our fans. Recently retiring as a Bronco, we were very music looking forward to celebrating Demaryius for years to come as one of the greatest players in franchise history.”
The statement continued: “We have lost an incredible player and a special person in Demaryius Thomas. Our hearts and deepest sympathies go out to the Thomas family and all who are grieving this unimaginable loss. … Demaryius’ humility, warmth, kindness and infectious smile will always be remembered by those who knew him and loved him.”
Peyton Manning also reflected on the time he spent with his former teammate, sharing in a statement through the Denver Broncos chief communications officer, “D.T. 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.”
Thomas, who originally played college football before spending 10 years in the NFL, announced his retirement from the sport earlier this year.
“It was a tough decision, a real tough decision,” the Georgia native said via a statement in June. “Always as a kid or always when I did something, it was always [giving] my best to go and go and go. And football was my go. Every year I tried to get better and better, and I knew I was aging, of course. It was something tough, but I’m grateful I did 10, 11 years. I’m so grateful for that and now I can move on. I’m happy, I’m healthy. And now I can try to find my next itch.”
Scroll down to see the tributes following Thomas’ death: