Thomas died just months after retiring from the NFL, and LaTonya Bonseigneur, a cousin who was close to Thomas, told The Associated Press that Thomas had been “suffering from seizures for over a year.”
The funeral for the former NFL player took place on Saturday with a public viewing held at the West Laurens High Gymnasium in Dexter, Georgia.
It’s where Thomas played high school football.
Though the family isn’t sure when Thomas died, they believe his death may have been related to a seizure. “We believe he had a seizure when he was showering,” Bonseigneur said.
The 33-year-old played 10 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Denver Broncos.
During last week’s game against the Detroit Lions, Demaryius Thomas‘ No. 88 jersey was the top seller at the stadium’s team store.
The store manager told local news station KUSA that of the more than 600 Denver Bronco jerseys sold, more than 100 were DT’s.
The No. 88 jerseys were previously out of stock, and employees had to make each one custom during the game.
The 600 jerseys sold on Sunday is a much greater number than usual, the store manager told KUSA.
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Thomas and another male passenger escaped the 2019 crash with minor injuries.
The female passenger, however, suffered “serious bodily injuries”.
After the accident, he said he felt lucky that it wasn’t worse.
He told TMZ: “I think one of my main things after my accident is having another opportunity.
“I could have been gone, but I still get another opportunity.”
“Many people reached out after my accident and I want to thank everyone who has been supportive of my recovery.
“It was important for me to accept responsibility for my careless driving.
“I personally promise I will never again put anyone at risk with that type of driving going forward.”
Months after the incident, he said told TMZ Sports he was “still going through stuff
Thomas was a standout receiver with the Broncos over a 10-year NFL career that finished with brief stints with the Houston Texans and New York Jets.
In 2015, Thomas won a Super Bowl with the Broncos and earned four Pro Bowls in a Broncos uniform.
He was traded to the Houston Texans in 2018 and last played with the New York Jets in 2019, starting 10 of 11 games.
