Kyren Lacy, a star wide receiver for the Louisiana State University Tigers and a potential 2025 draft pick, was found dead in his car in Houston Saturday, April 12, in an apparent suicide, which was believed to be caused by a police chase. Lacy’s death happened roughly a week before he was supposed to appear in front of a grand jury in Louisiana for reckless driving resulting in the death of a 78-year-old ex-Marine in December 2024.
People close to Lacy say he was visibly not himself, likely due to the impending case, and people scrutinizing his life, maturity and intelligence scrutinized.
Isolation is defined as “the state of feeling alone and without friends or help,” according to the Collins Dictionary. Isolation can be felt in a locker room with your brothers, in front of 100,000 in Baton Rouge hoping on your success, and especially on your darkest days. It is imperative that people don’t turn a blind eye to this as isolation thrives in silence.
The news broke Sunday morning, and social media was in a frenzy.
“My son was hurting, and I didn’t know how deep it went,” said his father, Kenny Lacy. “He was carrying so much and trying to do it alone. Please — if you love someone, talk to them. Isolation is dangerous. It hides in plain sight.”
NFL stars and former teammates, such as 2024 rookie of the year Jayden Daniels and star wideout Malik Nabers, took to Instagram to mourn the loss.
“Till next time… We gonna hold it down for you. U gonna live your dreams through us. Hope you at peace now,” Daniels said. Daniels was Lacy’s quarterback during his breakout season in 2023.
“You put a smile on everyone’s face ig (I guess) we forgot to give you the same smile,” said Malik Nabers. “Leek” was a fellow wideout and served as a mentor at times for Lacy. Their words are so powerful and real. Other pros, such as Cowboys quarterback and mental health advocate Dak Prescott, and Lions cornerback Amik Robertson, mourned over social media.
Conversations on mental health need to be encouraged and the athlete “tough it out” culture needs to be altered. If all goes right, Kyren Lacy’s name will not be remembered for the plays on the field but rather the conversations this tragic event sparked. Lacy needed support and hopefully this will serve as a reminder to reach out and be there for the ones you love.
Anyone who is struggling with mental health issues, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns or just need someone to talk to, can call or text the nationwide Suicide Lifeline 988 at any time day or night and speak to a trained counselor.
