'He was just a young man who was going to do it'
Fred Thompson collapsed and died Dec. 7, 2011, from what an autopsy later determined was an enlarged heart. A formal memorial in his honor was held Jan. 12, 2012, on the Oregon State campus.
CORVALLIS, Ore. - The man who wore number 92 for the Beavers his freshman season at Oregon State won't get a chance to play a single down next season.
The friends, family and teammates who gathered in memory of Fred Thompson on Thursday in Corvallis show he will still be a presence on the field with his Oregon State teammates next season.
"He was just a young man who was going to do it," said Mike Riley, the Beavers head coach, speaking at a memorial for Thompson.
Instead of looking forward to coaching the young man on the football field, Riley found himself speaking of Thompson's memory.
"He was going to fight hard to do it and at the same time he was going to do it Fred's way," Riley said. "Fred was happy, and as everybody said, when he walked in he literally lit the room up. He had a great smile. We will miss him. We will really miss him because every time you got to see him it really made your day."
Fred Thompson collapsed and died Dec. 7 playing pickup basketball at the student rec center. He was days shy of his 20th birthday.
An autopsy found he died from an enlarged heart.
His teammate had earlier traveled to Oakland, Calif., to bury their friend. The celebration of life Jan. 12 at Oregon State was an opportunity for the campus community and Thompson's family to remember a young man who lit up the world - and could light up an opposing quarterback as a defensive tackle.