Former Bears linebacker passes away at age 33 |
Terrible news to report today.
Former NFL linebacker Geno Hayes has passed away on Monday night while in hospice at his parents' home in Valdosta, Georgia. He suffered from stage 3 liver disease and was only 33 years old. Hayes had been on a waiting list for a liver transplant in December after dozens of hospitalizations. "The first diagnosis they gave me was alcoholic cirrhosis,” Hayes told ESPN. “But when we dug in deeper, it became just chronic liver disease because I don’t drink like that. If I did drink, it was just like wine or something like that. But my body is made different. And that’s what [my doctor] said — ‘Everybody’s made different.'” Hayes spent three seasons with the Bucs, two with the Jaguars, and one with the Bears (2012 season). He had 401 career tackles and 10 sacks. He was a sixth-round draft pick out of Florida State in 2008. Everyone at ChicagoBearsHQ wants to give our condolences to his wife, 12-year-old son, and 8-year-old daughter at this difficult time. RIP Mr. Hayes.
