A 16-year-old high school football player from a family of NFL pros was killed in an accident involving an alleged drunk driver following a football game.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
According to KOMO, Deeyaj Tuiasosopo, 16, who was in his first season with the Federal Way High School football team, died on Friday (October 23) after he was struck by a car. The publication reported that Tuiasosopo was standing on the sidewalk near where he had played a football game the same night when a car crashed into another vehicle at the Pacific Highway and S 304th Street.
One of the vehicles struck Tuiasosopo while he was standing there. When the medic arrived at the scene of the accident, he was pronounced dead.
Police arrested a 29-year-old man on suspicion of vehicular homicide. The police allege he was driving under the influence of alcohol or another substance. Authorities have not released further information about the suspect or confirmed the condition of the other driver involved in the collision.
Tuiasosopo’s family released a statement through KOMO along with some pictures after his death.
“Deejay was a pillar in many communities throughout King County, from Tukwila and Federal Way to Auburn and all the way to Graham. His energy, light, and infectious presence reached far beyond what we, as his family, even realized. Now, in the midst of such a devastating tragedy, we are seeing just how many lives he touched and how deeply it has impacted all of these students and their families.”
“Deejay was a student-athlete who prioritized both his academics and athletics. He was an empath who genuinely cared for everyone, whether it was his first time meeting you or he’d known you for a while. We are truly grateful for those who have reached out, shared a memory or photo, shown up to the vigil, or spoken life into who Deejay was as a person in their post,” the statement concluded.
Tuiasosopo came from a family with a football legacy. His grandfather’s brother, Manu Tuiasosopo, was selected in the first round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He later moved to the San Francisco 49ers and won Super Bowl XIX with them in January 1985.
Manu Tuiasosopo’s son, Marques Tuiasosopo, was a QB who earned MVP honors at the 2001 Rose Bowl. He went on to play for the Oakland Raiders and New York Jets in the NFL. Deejay shared a similar dream to play professionally.
More than 150 people gathered for a memorial on Saturday to pay their respects. KOMO spoke to Deejay Tuiasosopo’s close friends and relatives. Deejay’s best friend, Samson Benea, is still in shock that he is no more. Benea attended the last game he played at Gridiron and even hung out with him afterward. The two were friends since 7th grade and shared a bond like brothers.
“I didn’t believe it. I got the news that he passed away—and I just started crying,” said Benea, also a junior, who now attends school in Auburn, as reported by KOMO. “Couldn’t really believe this, because I was with him like moments before this happened,” he said.
“He was kind of like a leader, you know, like he can get stuff right, he can get stuff checked,” Benea explained. “He was just that type of guy; he’s that guy like every person needs in that friend group,” he said.