Former Penn State offensive lineman Adam Gress passed away Thursday.
The details surrounding his death are still emerging, but according to several reports Gress never recovered from a fall.
In addition to being a favorite among his teammates, Gress also served in a leadership role for the Penn State Chapter of Uplifting Athletes for his final two seasons.
“Adam will be missed but his legacy will live strong through the lives he impacted,” said Uplifting Athletes Chapter Manager Brett Brackett, who knew Gress as a teammate and friend.
“He never had bad intentions towards anyone or anything. Adam was a good-hearted guy that loved to make people laugh, worked hard and earned the respect of his teammates. I was the chapter president when Adam first became involved with Uplifting Athletes. He inspired all of us through his enthusiasm and willingness to give his time to benefit others.”
Gress, who was 26, graduated from Penn State with a degree in telecommunications and journalism before giving the NFL a shot in 2014 with the New York Giants.
A native of Pittsburgh, Gress was scheduled to marry his longtime girlfriend Angela Torchia this summer. He was working as a construction site manager in the Pittsburgh area at the time of his death.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Gress family.