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Family and friends mourn the sudden loss of Kevin Ellison, the former San Diego and USC Chargers player, after his death as he walked down a California highway. He was 31 years old.
Documents from the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office, obtained by the Los Angeles Times, revealed that Ellison died Thursday on the I-5 highway in the San Fernando Valley.
However, the way he died is not yet clear and an exam is currently underway.
After his death, Ellison's alma mater confirmed the news in a tweet published on Saturday, October 6th.
"#FightOnForever, Kevin Ellison. The former captain of the USC and triple winner of the Rose Bowl has died this week. He was 31 years old, "writes the school's athletics program.
Ellison's brother, Chris, told the L.A. Times his brother or sister was suffering from serious mental health problems at the time of his death.
"He was disoriented and did not know where he was," Chris told the newspaper. "I'm sure he was trying to get home and find his family. We love him so much … My mother, my sister, my father and my brother have done everything they can.
While he spent most of his life playing or coaching football, Ellison was charged with arson at the federal after setting fire to a bed in a Washington lodge and causing 50,000 $ of damage L.A. Times.
In the court documents obtained by the publication, Ellison was playing for the Spokane shock of the Arena Football League during the incident and claimed that "God had ordered him to set fire." The case had been filed after have agreed to pay more than $ 80,000 in restitution. .
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Her family also told the Los Angeles-based newspaper that she planned to donate her brain to Boston University for use in research studies on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head injuries, often seen in football players – which they believe could be related to Ellison's mental health problems.
Ellison played security for the Trojans every four years of his academic career (2005-2008). Over the course of his career, he has received several all-pac-12 security honors, was named to the first Sporting News Pacing-10 Freshing News team, and helped the USC win two Rose Matches. Bowl, as well as an Orange Bowl Game.
After ending his university career, Ellison was selected for the sixth round of the San Diego Chargers. He played with the NFL team as a security player for one season in 2009, totaling 13 games.
He then joined the Seattle Seahawks in June 2010, but the experience was short-lived and he was released by the team three months later.
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After his death, those who knew and watched Ellison play expressed a wave of love and support on Twitter, remembering him for his "grace", his "incredible passion" and his leadership.
"Kevin Ellison was one of the first players to say hello," wrote Yogi Roth, a former assistant coach at the USC from 2005-2009. "His grace has become a hallmark among his teammates, as is his incredible passion / intellect for the game. Much love to his family and friends. Left too early."
"No word accurately describes the loss of Kevin Ellison," tweeted Michael Castillo, his head behind the Reign of Troy podcast, which focuses on USC football coverage. "A great leader and by far the most underrated Trojan horse of my life."
Former Ellison teammate Stephon Sudduth has also posted a moving tribute to his friend on Instagram.
"Today, I lost another mentor and a friend to Kevin Ellison," he began. "When I started playing football, this man told me that I would be a special day one day. Not only did he learn to play the sport in the same physical way as he did, but he also learned to play.
"I'm now hoping that he's watching me with Eddy and Jasp coaches, knowing that I'm working as hard as I can in everything I do," he continued. "One day, I will be in the role of mentor and hope to instill the same principles that he taught me when I started playing."
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