Aldon Smith Was Delivering Pizzas to the Homeless Hours Before His Death, New Details Reveal
The new details around Aldon Smith’s death make the story even harder to process.
The former 49ers linebacker died Saturday in the Bay Area at age 36. Initial reports just said he had passed away suddenly. The version that has emerged over the last 24 hours paints a picture of a man who spent his last day doing the right thing for the right people.
According to a TMZ report, Smith spent part of Saturday with his friend Amir Shirazi delivering pizzas to a local Bay Area homeless outreach organization. The two ran several errands together and ended up back at Shirazi’s house in Los Gatos. Shirazi went inside briefly. When he came back out, he found Smith slumped over in the front passenger seat of a pickup truck.
Shirazi first thought Smith was asleep. He quickly realized something was seriously wrong, called 911, and got former NFL running back Anthony Dixon involved as they attempted lifesaving measures. Smith was rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose and was pronounced dead about an hour later.
The cause of death is still under investigation. The 49ers confirmed the news in a statement but did not provide additional information. Smith had spoken openly in recent interviews about the personal battles he was still fighting and had admitted to struggling.
The career part of this story has been told many times. Smith was the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He set a 49ers rookie record with 14 sacks. He finished his career with 47.5 sacks across stints with San Francisco, Oakland, Dallas, and Seattle. He was a Pro Bowler. He was a problem for offensive tackles. He was one of the most physically gifted edge rushers of his generation.
The harder part of his story has been told many times too. Smith dealt with multiple legal issues throughout his playing career, was suspended several times by the league, and battled substance abuse publicly. Every time he tried to come back to football, the obstacles eventually caught up with him.
What makes these new details so brutal is the contrast. The man people were ready to write off was, in his final hours, doing community work. He was helping the homeless. He was delivering food to people who needed it. He was with a friend. That is not a person who had given up. That is a person who was trying.
Tributes have been pouring in from former teammates all weekend. Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Vernon Davis, and dozens of others have shared memories of who Smith was inside the locker room. The phrase that keeps coming up is generous. Smith was generous with his time, generous with rookies, generous with anyone who asked for help.
The cause of death may take weeks to determine. The Santa Clara County medical examiner’s office will release findings when toxicology is complete. Until then, the focus is on the family Smith leaves behind and the legacy that he was still actively trying to build.
One last day. Pizza deliveries to people who had nothing. That should be part of how this is remembered.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
