N/S - Ex Vikings/Ragin Cajun Orlando Thomas dead at age 37 <<EDITED - FALSE RUMOR>>> (1 Viewer)

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Cha-Ching

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He lost his battle with ALS - article here:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/10/28/orlando-thomas-loses-battle-with-als/

According to the Vikings' official web site, former Minnesota safety Orlando Thomas, who in the mid-1990s was regarded as one of the best young safeties in the NFL, died Wednesday from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

He was 37.

Thomas began exhibiting symptoms in 2004, and his condition was revealed publicly in 2007.

Thomas, a second-round pick in 1995, spent seven seasons with the Vikings. He was a member of the 1998 team that went 15-1 and lost in overtime of the NFC Championship.

Now conflicting reports. Article has been taken down off the Vikings official site. Thread title edited.

EDITED - Turns out to be a false rumor started by a My Space message posted in Crowley.
 
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Very sad news, he was so young.
 
Either way thoughts and prayers are with his family...He was one of my favorite Cajuns when I was a kid
 

Jake Reed disputes report of Orlando Thomas' death
Posted by Mike Florio on October 28, 2009 8:33 PM ET
Former NFL receiver Jake Reed, a teammate of former Vikings safety Orlando Thomas, has posted multiple messages at his Twitter page indicating that Thomas has not died.

News of Thomas' death came to us via the Vikings' official web site.

So we'll be taking a closer look at this one.

Thomas has been suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease since 2004, a typically fatal condition.

UPDATE: Reed's Twitter account isn't verified. But if someone opted to make a phony Twitter account, we'd like to think they'd do it for someone other than a mid-level wideout who has been out of the game for several years. Then again, maybe that's the genius of it.

Just checked the Vikings official site and the article is now down, so who knows. Either way, it is a horrible and unfair disease.
 
UPDATE: Thomas is still alive

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/10/28/agent-says-orlando-thomas-has-not-died/

Agent says Orlando Thomas has not died
Posted by Mike Florio on October 28, 2009 10:39 PM ET
Earlier today, the Vikings announced that former safety Orlando Thomas died, after a five-year battle with Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Former teammate Jake Reed tweeted that it wasn't true.

Now, Thomas' agent confirms that, indeed, Thomas has not died.


"It's not true," Mark Bartelstein said, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "He's still fighting as hard as ever. I don't know anybody to fight a disease or illness the way he has fought this. He's continuing to fight the fight and is cheering on the Vikings every day.

"Somebody put it on their Myspace page down in Crowley, La., and I guess the local media ran with it or something. You know how in today's world once rumors start, it spreads like wildfire. You know how people communicate nowadays. But it's totally false. He's sick, but he's good and and he's fighting the battle he fights every day."
 
That is so sad! He was an awesome player, although I did not know him personally. Hate to see that news.
 
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