Inside Eric Decker's Emotional Tribute To Demaryius Thomas
In early December, the sports world was reeling after the tragic loss of another prominent figure. Nearly two years after losing Kobe Bryant and eight others in a freak helicopter crash, the world lost another incredible athlete in football star Demaryius Thomas. The 33-year-old was reportedly in the shower at his Georgia home when he suffered a seizure and died. People close to the situation shared that Thomas had been experiencing seizures for the last year. His former team, the Denver Broncos, was among the first to release a statement on Thomas's death. "We are devastated and completely heartbroken," the organization tweeted. "Demaryius' humility, warmth, kindness and infectious smile will always be remembered by those who knew him and loved him."
Thousands of other fans have flocked to social media to express their sadness, while tributes from other athletes have also been pouring in, including an emotional one from Peyton Manning. "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," Manning said in a statement. "He treated my kids like they were his own. He was there for every teammate's charity event." Tom Brady also expressed his sorrow over the news, commending Thomas's "humility and positive spirit."
It's safe to say that Thomas had a profound impact on many people, including former football star Eric Decker and his wife, Jesse James Decker. Grab a box of tissues...
Eric Decker says that Demaryius Thomas was like a brother to him
It's never easy to lose a friend, especially at such a young age. Eric Decker and his wife, Jesse James Decker, are reeling over the loss of Eric's former teammate, Demaryius Thomas. Eric took to Instagram to share a carousel of images of himself and Thomas both on and off the field, along with a heartbreaking tribute. "Demaryius, I love you! I can't believe it, I don't want to believe it. RIP," Eric started the post, before sharing that he and Thomas first met at the pre-NFL draft in 2010.
"I was enamored by his presence. Not many 20 year olds built like him. I was rehabbing from a major foot surgery and was struggling with it. Felt alone and weak," Eric explained, adding that he and Thomas bonded as they both recovered from surgeries at the same time. "He was the brother I always wanted," Decker shared. The two parted ways in Arizona only to reunite as teammates in Denver a few years later. "He was my roommate, confidant, Batman to my robin, record setting teammate," Decker shared. "We shared many travels together, he was in my wedding, held my babies and was always in my corner. His smile was infectious- transformed a room when he arrived. His heart was gold!"
Jesse also posted on her own Instagram, sharing an emotional tribute and adding, "I don't know if we will ever truly heal from this one." Rest in peace.