CNN
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Ronnie Hillman, a Tremendous Bowl-winning operating again for the Denver Broncos, handed away aged 31 on Wednesday, in keeping with a publish from his household on his Instagram web page.
Hillman was in August identified with renal medullary carcinoma, a uncommon type of most cancers, in keeping with an announcement posted to his social media on Wednesday.
The publish from his household reads, “It’s with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother & father, Ronnie Okay Hillman Jr.
“Ronnie quietly and peacefully transitioned at present within the firm of his household and shut buddies.”
Renal medullary carcinoma is a extremely aggressive most cancers that primarily impacts folks with sickle cell trait (SCT). It was not instantly clear whether or not Hillman himself had SCT.
San Diego State College (SDSU), Hillman’s alma mater, posted a tribute on their soccer crew’s official Twitter.
“Gone means too quickly,” it reads alongside a picture of Hillman.
“We’ll miss you, Ronnie,” the publish ends.
On the college’s web site, SDSU’s director of athletics John David Wicker wrote, “We’re saddened to listen to in regards to the passing of Ronnie Hillman. Ronnie helped resurrect San Diego State soccer in his two seasons in 2010 and 2011 and has just lately been across the program providing knowledge and perception.”
SDSU’s head coach Brady Hoke additionally penned a tribute, saying, “Our deepest condolences exit to Ronnie’s household.
“Though I solely received to teach him one season, I’ll keep in mind him as an awesome teammate and exhausting employee. Ronnie at all times got here to follow with a smile on this face and his ardour for the sport was contagious. He’ll at all times be an Aztec for Life.”
After two stellar seasons at SDSU the place he scored 36 touchdowns, Hillman was drafted by the Broncos in 2012, serving to the crew to the Tremendous Bowl in 2014 and 2015, in keeping with NFL.com.
The crew had been victorious within the latter over the Carolina Panthers after a season the place Hillman was their main rusher – posting 863 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Hillman hung out on the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Chargers within the 2016 NFL season, earlier than signing with the Dallas Cowboys forward of the 2017 season.
He by no means performed for the Cowboys, having been launched by the crew shortly after signing.
CNN has reached out to the NFL and the Broncos for remark.
