Stunned silence fell over LSU, mourning the sudden death of Kyren Lacy—a talented receiver, loyal teammate, and kind person whose influence extended far beyond the field. He brought daily energy, leadership, and quiet strength. As the football world grapples with the loss, fellow Tiger Kenzel Kelly is stepping up, encouraging players and fans to connect, communicate, and prioritize mental health.
Twenty-four-year-old Kyren Lacy, a former LSU wide receiver, died by apparent suicide late Saturday night in Houston, the Harris County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office reported Sunday. But Lacy’s troubles extended far beyond the football field. He was charged in connection with a December 17th car crash in Louisiana that killed a 78-year-old man. Investigators claim he fled the scene without assisting the victim or contacting emergency services. Lacy surrendered almost a month later and was released on $151k bail. One can only imagine Lacy’s emotional state.
Despite everything he was going through, Kyren Lacy decided to pull it all together. Only days after a deadly car accident in December, Lacy declared his intention to enter the NFL draft, missing LSU’s Texas Bowl win against Baylor. And that’s not it Lacy was also a part of LSU’s Pro Day in March. However, Lacy dropped from Kiper’s most recent top-ten rankings. But now all this means nothing but a dark, sad tragedy.
Amidst the tragedy, Brian Kelly’s son, Kenzel Kelly put up a story on IG, offering a bold reminder: these players shoulder far more than just plays—they carry burdens of pain, pressure, and expectations unseen by most fans. “This game is more mental than anything.. that’s what these fans don’t get,” Kelly said. “Your mindset plays a huge part on how you live your day to day lifestyle. As college athletes we’re expected to just play ball when we have a million things on our plate just like everyone else. We’re more than just athletes. We’re humans too!”
Even Lacy’s father, Kenny, made sure that he urges other parents to prioritize their children’s mental health, so that something of this sort doesn’t happen to them. He took to his social media handle, saying, “Our lives have changed forever and this will never be ok, but God needed my baby more than he was needed here. This has to be the biggest pill our families have had to swallow, but I know the love and compassion in our families will get us through.” Mental health is not a myth but a serious issue that ruins families.
Who would’ve thought? A guy who lit up LSU for three straight seasons, capped it off with 58 grabs, 866 yards, and a team-high nine touchdowns last fall—that guy—gets blindsided by mental health. Nobody saw it coming. Nobody’s processing it.
Sports world mourns over Kyren Lacey’s sudden demise
The entire football world went numb by the sudden death of LSU wide receiver Lacy. The grief was especially profound in Louisiana, where Lacy was deeply rooted. Friends, teammates, and fans shared an outpouring of grief and remembrance online, struggling to comprehend the loss of such a young life.
His close friend Rontrell Sandolph, a fellow Louisianan, expressed his heartbreak on social media in an emotional post: “2!!! I’m so lost for words. I’m speechless. I went to sleep four times and woke up to see if it was a dream when Mrs. Kandace called me. The dreams we had started to kick in— you making it to the NFL & me playing ball overseas! Our dreams were becoming reality. We talked and cried and laughed it off every day, bro.”
And Kenzel Kelly isn’t alone in highlighting mental health; former LSU basketball star Angel Reese also stressed its importance on social media. Urging fans to prioritize mental health after the tragedy, she wrote, “Mental health is real. Check on your people! You never know what someone is going through!”
But Kyren Lacy’s lawyer, Matthew Ory, made sure that his family gets the time and privacy in this hard time, as he laid it out, saying, “It is with profound sorrow that we confirm the tragic passing of Kyren Lacy,” Ory said. “First and foremost, we ask that the public and the media give his family the space and time they need to grieve this unimaginable loss in peace.” He further adds to it,“I was very confident the evidence, after being fully collected and reviewed, would lead to a declination of charges. We will be demanding a full and transparent review of how this investigation was conducted and why.” This feeling was widespread among the rattled LSU community.
LSU’s former receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., shares his deep sorrow, saying, “Rest easy, lil bro,” along with the picture of Lacy and him in the LSU locker room, remembering their deep-rooted bond. Well, LSU saw him emerge as a vital part of their team’s offensive attack. Now, during the investigation into his death, his family—parents, two younger brothers, and a brotherhood of teammates—must cope with this unthinkable loss.
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