Sad News - UPDATED: Kill, Gray and U Chief of Police to address media at 2pm

Prayers are being said for him and his family including his football family. It definitely puts everything else in perspective when something like this happens.
 

Sad day indeed. God Bless everyone.

Please follow this Kris Kistofferson song and lyrics closely. It applies to all of us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y1wtgLAytA

Thank you for this, Dr. Don. A lot of hearts, including my own, are often closed to this simple message.

Gary and I spent many an afternoon cramming burritos into our burrito lockers at "the Loco" in Dinkytown... he loved burritos.

RIP Hacksaw!

:cool02::cool02:
 

So sad. Too young. My thoughts are with his family at this terribly difficult time. I really enjoyed watching him play.
 

Not sure how to say this at this moment,

but given Coach Kill's health experiences, I am not sure there is a better man to help guide this young team through this grief they have got to be experiencing right now...his being HC seems like a sovereign act of God...
 



Such tragic news. My heart breaks for his family.

It's surreal to look at his twitter account - he tweeted these just yesterday:

"I gotta new out look on life"

"After I'm done wit my goals I'm moving to ATL n living"

"My beautiful mama birthday Monday, I wish I was in town"

Two days ago:

"Blessed etc."

A few days ago:

"Lords willing May is going to be a big month for me"

"Preparing for summer"


Such a tragic reminder that tomorrow is promised to no one. RIP Gary.
 

I feel so bad for his mother. Her birthday is Monday but it could be spent at a funeral for her child. Just absolutely tragic.
 

I remember seeing his dad watching him at practice last year. He was a very young looking guy. Must have come all the way from the south to watch him practice. He must be in shock.
 

Completely speechless. I don't know what #Feah means, I've seen teammates say it in their tweets.. I hashtagged it in a tweet of my own.. This is just too sad.

Prayers to the Tinsley and Gopher teammate families. RIP Gary Hacksaw Tinsley =(
 



Awful news. I'm going to pray for him and for his mother. The Gophers could do a lot worse than to line up with 22 Gary Tinsley's every Saturday. He seemed to be a good guy who played with a lot of heart. I'm sure he will be a source of inspiration for his teammates next year, but now only grief.
 

Release from the U:

Media Advisory: Coach Kill, Gray, Chief Hestness To Speak

University of Minnesota head football coach Jerry Kill, senior quarterback MarQueis Gray and University Police Chief Greg Hestness will address the passing of Gary Tinsley this afternoon.

They will be available in the team meeting room at the Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex at 2 p.m.

Tinsley had completed his athletic eligibility at the end of the 2011 football season. He saw action in 44 games during his Gopher career. Tinsley was No. 2 on the team in total tackles with 87 stops last season. For his Gopher career, he compiled 198 total tackles. He was a four-year letter-winner.

Tinsley, a native of Jacksonville, Fla., signed with the University of Minnesota out of First Coast High School in 2008. He played seven games as a freshman in 2008. He saw action in each of the Gophers’ 13 games in 2009 and started all 12 games in 2010 and 2011.

-UM-
 

Sad news. I remember Tinsley as a guy who grew as a person during his time here. He seemed like a train wreck when he arrived on campus making headlines for the wrong reasons, and learned from his mistakes and finished his career with honor. It is tough to see him depart as he looked to be blossoming.
 

Is the presser going to be streamed at GophersSport.com?
 



Such tragic news. My heart breaks for his family.

It's surreal to look at his twitter account - he tweeted these just yesterday:

"I gotta new out look on life"

"After I'm done wit my goals I'm moving to ATL n living"

"My beautiful mama birthday Monday, I wish I was in town"

Two days ago:

"Blessed etc."

A few days ago:

"Lords willing May is going to be a big month for me"

"Preparing for summer"


Such a tragic reminder that tomorrow is promised to no one. RIP Gary.

Wow that's heartbreaking.
 

Very sad news indeed. My heart goes out to Gary's family and friends.
 

This is devastating. He was going to make himself into a productive NFL player, I was sure of it. This sucks
 

Sometimes when life seems to be going great something unexpected happens to knock you down. RIP Gary.
 

Hosea 13:14 “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death.

1 Cor 15:54b:55:57 “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
 

I'll be there just as soon as I can Gary... at that Big Tailgate in the Sky! He was really looking forward to enjoying Saturday from the sidelines this year.

RIP G!

 

Hosea 13:14 “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death.

1 Cor 15:54b:55:57 “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

++111

I'll be there just as soon as I can Gary... at that Big Tailgate in the Sky! He was really looking forward to enjoying Saturday from the sidelines this year.

RIP G!


+++111
 

My heart goes out to the Tinsley family. Gary represented himself and the "U" very well. I will always remember Gary Tinsley and the way that he played.
 

I don't even know what to say...

My friend was talking with one of the players this morning and he was absolutely devastated. The whole team is in shock.

God bless his family.
 

RIP, Gary. Prayers to you and your family.

I'm totally floored.
 

“@TimBrewster: My heart is absolutely broken over the loss of GT. So special in every way....a son to me. Gods Peace to Ronda and whole family.”
 

You're in Heaven now Gary Tinsley - but always missed by your family and friends here on earth.
 

Here are the notes from the press conference. Everyone was visually torn apart, and could hardly choke back the tears. Such a sad, sad, day.

On Gary Tinsley
• Started every game in the past 2 years.
• He had an incredible transformation since arrive at the U of MN. He was very active with the charity work.


Jerry Kill
• Jerry Kill at the podium, took a few seconds to compose himself, visually torn up
• It's a very very sad day for a football program, and for our young men, we lost one of ours today in Gary Tinsely, who I know is in a good place.
• Gary is a young man who has done everything I've asked him to since the day I walked in this door.
• I ask all of you to make sure in a situation of this nature, it's devastating to a family that has a young man that lives a child. Our prayers go out to Gary's family. They are headed this direction. Our prayers are for our kids. The two things that matter to Coach Kill and our staff are Gary's family and our players. We all have to take care of each other during difficult times, we'll do that. There's not a whole lot more that I can say. Our players matter and I love them all.

• MarQueis Gray
Good morning. I addressed the team today, and told them we're still a family. When they come to the U of MN, you enter a brotherhood. Once you put on the maroon and gold, we're a family through thick and thin. We need to stick together, make this team stronger. I've been friends with him for 4-5 years, he's grown on me. It's difficult addressing the team, as we're all crying. It's just weird. Last night, texting each other, and today, he's gone. He's a great brother, a great teammate, a great friend, a great son to his parents, I can only imagine how they're feeling right now. We're really sad that this happened. We have to use this as motivation and stick together, myself, and other seniors.

Chief Greg Hestess:

• At 7:40am we received a call from Gary Tinsley's roommate saying he found Gary on the floor not breathing. Our responder office was there at 7:43. I arrived at 7:50 and found that they were making heroic efforts until 8:15 when they discontinued. They were unable to revive Mr. Tinsley.
• There was no immediate indication of crime, injuries, weapons, struggle, etc. You only get one opportunity to handle a crime scene. We're conducting interviews, we processed the room as a crime scene. We are now waiting for the medical examiner to tell us what they found. We have no evidence of a crime right now. He had no medical conditions to my knowledge.
• There was a lot of police activity on University Avenue last night, in anticipation of the Frozen Four. I'm unaware of anything associated with Mr. Tinsley. No evidence of drugs or alcohol, but we have to wait for the medical examiner.
• The roommate slept there, and found Gary on the floor
• Typically in these cases, if they get permission, they can work through that. There are 52K students on campus. We will occasionally have a death in a population that big.
• The roommate woke up and found him like that

Michelle from the Gary's college
• We will begin the process to award Gary's degree because he was not able to be awarded that yet.

Joel Maturi:
• I think like anyone that knew Gary, it's tough to see a young person die so young. I was on the tarmack and ready to get on the plane from the Frozen Four, and Coach Kill called me.
• I don't know all of the 750 athletes, Gary is one I got to know. Sometimes, it was because of the things I had to deal with (getting choked up), it was great to see his growth
• It hurts extremely more so when it's a young person and you don't know the cause or the why.
• The Gary that I knew, very competitive, he didn't like when we lost. Loved life. Always made me feel good, and made others feel good as well.
 

Very classy gesture on behalf of the U to grant Gary his degree. I will always be proud to call him a fellow alumnus of the University of Minnesota.

I never knew him, and I'm not the type to get emotional very easily, but I'm sitting here sobbing as I type these words. Rest in peace, brother.
 

Thanks for posting those presser minutes GopherLady - appreciate that.

What a horrible tragedy. Maybe we Gopherholers could round up $$ for some charity donation in his and his family's name, print up #51 shirts with proceeds going to scholarship at the U, etc.?
 

Going through some Tweets and someone linked this article from this past season.

Thanks for posting those presser minutes GopherLady - appreciate that.

What a horrible tragedy. Maybe we Gopherholers could round up $$ for some charity donation in his and his family's name, print up #51 shirts with proceeds going to scholarship at the U, etc.?

Great idea! +1
 

Thanks for posting those presser minutes GopherLady - appreciate that.

What a horrible tragedy. Maybe we Gopherholers could round up $$ for some charity donation in his and his family's name, print up #51 shirts with proceeds going to scholarship at the U, etc.?

+1. I'm also hoping this coming season that there be some recognition of him- a 51 sticker on the helmet/uniform and maybe a moment of silence.

Still just in utter shock.
 




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