Son of Colts' Coach Tony Dungy Found Dead

UPDATE: Follow-up post can be found here.

Tragedy strikes the Dungy family:

James Dungy, the 18-year-old son of Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, was found dead in a Tampa-area apartment, police said Thursday.

In a news release on its Web site, the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office said it "responded to the Campus Lodge Apartments this morning at approximately 1:32 a.m. The girlfriend of James Dungy had returned to the apartment and discovered Dungy."

Police performed CPR on Dungy before he was taken to University Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

No foul play is suspected, but a cause of death won't announced pending an autopsy, said Vida Morgan, a secretary in the sheriff's public information office. The apartments are located in Lutz, Fla.

Tony Dungy has left the Colts and is in Tampa, according to NFL.com.

The coach and his wife, Lauren, have four other children: daughters Tiara and Jade and sons Eric and Jordan.

As a father of 18 and 20 year old sons, I find this to be especially upsetting. 

One minute he's living in the limelight, the stressors, the excitement, the intensity that comes from being a prospective Super Bowl bound coach, the next he's hit (quite literally I can only imagine) with news no father wants to hear.

A life turned upside down, priorities rearranged, life and death made more real than anyone would want.

Say a prayer for Coach Dungy, and for all fathers facing similar situations.

May God's presence be made manifest in this circumstance, quickly and tangibly.

Comments

[Zossima]

This is so tragic. Dungy is a believer, and a fine example according to all who know him of how to prioritize God, family, and work correctly.

[La Vanya]

The death of James Dungy is yet another reminder that teen suicide is a problem in the United states. Much research and funding is needed to combat this problem. As the mother of a young black male, this concerns me.

[Alesia]

I believe this is what happen when you take prayer out of the schools. You can only teach your child so much at home. They are in school more than at home. If children are being influenced by demonic forces in the schools, its nothing you can to do but pray....pray...pray. Some schools teach homosexuality is normal, now you have young boys raping boys. Grown women teachers are raping boys...society is a mess. We need to stay prayed up.

[Nancy Hay]

My prayers continue for the Dungy family. We sometimes cannot believe why but now faith must step in and remember that God continues to shield and protect this beautiful family. WE must stand as people and fight to bring prayer, and God back into the schools.