It was a rough day for Buckeye Nation as former offensive lineman, 31-year-old Zach Slagler committed suicide Wednesday night. Slagle was part of Ohio State’s roster from 2006-08.
According to 247 Sports’ Bucknuts, Slagle was “found dead via a gunshot wound at about 1:20 a.m.” Slagle’s brain will be examined to see if possible CTE could’ve played a factor in the former lineman’s death.
Jake Ballard, who was tied end for much of Slagle’s time at Ohio State, started a GoFundMe to help raise funds for his funeral costs. Here’s what Ballard put in the fund’s description.
“The Ohio State Football Family lost a brother, Zach Slagle passed away last night. Zach Slagle was a rare person. When describing him, most look at his great football career, which included making All-Ohio for Canton McKinley and playing for his beloved Ohio State Buckeyes.
However, that just scratches the surface of who Zach was. He was a worker. His summer before enrolling at Ohio State, Slagle worked tirelessly working four jobs in an effort to save up for his tuition. Once he arrived at OSU, he was a very valuable member of the team and his toughness was evident. Slagle’s selflessness and grit helped the team go undefeated in the regular season, and he received his first of 3 pairs of gold pants for beating the TTUN.
Zach was selfless as a teammate and friend and endeared himself to anyone who knew him. He was always the guy that everyone liked to see and be around. Zach was a fun loving person with a heart of gold. In his honor, we would like to start a fund to help defray the costs of his burial services. Thank you for your consideration and support to Zach’s family in this difficult time.”
No one could’ve said it better than Ballard. This will certainly be a call to help provide better protection to those on the line.
