Former NFL star Keion Carpenter has died following an accident while on a family holiday at the age of 39.
The former Buffalo Bills and Atlanta safety passed away in a Miami hospital on Thursday after spending 24 hours in a coma.
Carpenter's cousin, Jamila Smith, told the Baltimore Sun that Carpenter had an accident while playing with his son.
"They were running to the car when he slipped, fell, hit his head and slipped into a coma. It was just a freak accident," she said.
"He was always healthy; he went to the doctor, ate well and worked out."
Carpenter spent six years playing in the NFL, and after retiring set-up a non-profit organisation aimed at helping families from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Balitmore-born defensive back made a name for himself while playing college football for Virginia Tech and his former coach Frank Beamer released a statement after learning of his death.
"Keion was one of the rocks around which we built our program at Virginia Tech in the 1990s," wrote Beamer.
"Cheryl and I were saddened to learn of the passing of Keion Carpenter. He was a tenacious punt blocker and a relentless player on defense.
"More importantly, he had a heart of gold. His work with The Carpenter House and other charitable organizations to help those in need truly embodied the Virginia Tech spirit.
"Our condolences to Keion's family on the loss of a great Hokie."
Carpenter leaves behind his wife Tonia, three daughters and a son.