Ryan Clark delivers powerful message on suicide prevention after Kyren Lacy death
On Sunday, former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy was found dead from an apparent suicide, per WRBZ, a television station in Baton Rouge. Lacy was 24 years old.
Since the announcement of Lacy’s death, many major voices in football have voiced their despair over the tragic situation. On Monday, former NFL safety and current ESPN analyst Ryan Clark posted a heartfelt message on social media discussing Lacy’s death and the importance of mental health, in general.
“It’s sad. It’s tragic, in some ways. It’s unfathomable,” Clark said. “I think about when we first got cool. I gave a speech at the school, and I talked about my experiences and being sick and thinking I was going to die, and how I felt like I had to make that turn into something for me.
“I made an acronym out of D.I.E. and what leaders had to do, what great players had to do, what good brothers, what good teammates had to do. And the first person to message me was Kyren, and he said, ‘Coach, I’ll die about it,’ because he cared so much about the game. He cared so much about his brothers, about his teammates.”
Lacy declared for the 2025 NFL Draft after having a breakout campaign in 2024. He finished the season with 58 catches for 866 yards and nine touchdowns.
It was his third season at LSU. He began his collegiate career at the University of Louisiana, where he spent two years. Despite Lacy’s success on the field, he was battling serious issues away from it.
Kyren Lacy was facing charges of felony hit-and-run and reckless driving. He was reportedly cooperating with police and out on bond after paying a $151,000 bail following his Jan. 12 arrest, according to a report from WAFB.
A grand jury was scheduled to begin hearing evidence in the case today. In his passionate message, Ryan Clark implored people who are suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts to reach out to others for help.
“When you think about Kyren or anybody who thinks completing suicide is the answer, or who’s even thinking of attempting it — at least, let the people who love you tell you why your life matters here, why we need you here, what we do to keep you here,” Clark said. “And maybe they never understand it.
“But think about all the flowers that this kid got from everybody yesterday and last night. Like all of those things, what if he got that last week? What if he got it the week before?
“And that kid that had so much joy about this game that probably felt like it was being taken away, that people were telling him he was all of these things, maybe the love is enough. Maybe he feels like somebody understands. So, to anybody who is feeling that life is so overwhelming, not breathing is a better option, I’m sorry and I hope you tell somebody.”
