Former NFL player Alphonso Smith Jr. has died at 40, leaving behind a deeply troubling final message that he shared online just hours before his death was confirmed.
Smith was a former NFL cornerback who spent four seasons in the league after being selected by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft with the 37th overall pick.
But in the hours before his death, Smith posted a heartbreaking message on Facebook in which he apologized to his loved ones.
His last heartbreaking message
His final message read: “Do not cry for me! I tried everything in my power to fight the demons behind the ones that someone put into ME!,” according to VT.
“I did not want to be that WAY! I know I have disappointed so many folks. This is a DEMON in me! But not only me! It’s EVERYONE! I have HURT so many! I needed help & did not get it!
“I am so sorry!
“I am a piece of s**t! It’s a lot of you that are!
“I am A COWARD! A HUGE COWARD!
“I am so sorry…
“To my kids, daddy is SO SORRY!
“To my friends, I love you all, but your boy was f**ked up!
“To my family, BABY, my MOM, my siblings, things happened to your boy, your brother while I was little that an older lady did onto me. As a result guys, I did the same onto others!
“Please forgive me!
“Please pray over your families! PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL I’ve affected!
“I am the WORST & I pray my soul rest in heaven for my heart is pure, but my BRAIN & experience is MESSED UP!!…
“Once again to ALLLLLL!
“I am SORRY! THIS IS IT!”
Alphonso Smith Jr.
Smith had more than 12,000 followers on social media and had returned to posting regularly earlier this year after largely staying out of the public eye following his football career.
His Facebook bio described the former athlete as someone who worked professionally during the day and performed comedy at night. It also included the disclaimer: “I am a professional by day & a comic by night. Do not judge me from my Facebook content. I joke.”
According to his LinkedIn profile, Smith was working as the director of marketing at South Florida Family Physician when he died.
Now, his final words have drawn renewed attention as friends, family and followers remember the former NFL player and the struggles he described in his final post.
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