Aldon Smith donated pizzas to homeless charity hours before his death, friend says
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Former NFL pass rusher Aldon Smith spent the last day of his life donating food to a charity that feeds the homeless.
The San Francisco 49ers announced on Saturday that Smith, who played in 50 games during his six-year career, died at the age of 36. Just hours before he was found unresponsive, Smith unexpectedly dropped off 10 pizzas at CHAM Deliverance Minister, a San Jose, Calif., charity that feeds the homeless.
Amir Shirazi, a friend of Smith’s, talked Smith into making the surprise delivery Saturday. San Francisco Chronicle about his charitable donation before sharing the details of finding him unresponsive in his car.
San Francisco 49ers’ Aldon Smith waits between practices during the team’s first training camp practice on Thursday afternoon, July 24, 2014, in Santa Clara, California. (Karl Mondon/MediaNews Group/Mercury News via Getty Images)
49ERS ANNOUNCE THE DEATH OF ALDON SMITH, THE FASTEST PLAYER TO REACH 30 SACKS IN NFL HISTORY, AT AGE 36
“He was such a sweet, caring and loving giant,” Shirazi said. “If you really knew him, you would know who he really is.”
After dropping off the pizzas, Shirazi took them to a grocery store and then returned to his home. She told the outlet that she quickly ran inside to turn on some lights and when she returned to the car, Smith collapsed in her seat.
San Francisco 49ers Aldon Smith runs during practice at the 49ers practice facility in Santa Clara on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014. (LiPo Ching/MediaNews Group/Mercury News via Getty Images)
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“When I got out he was literally dead in my front seat,” Shirazi said. “I’m just in shock.”
Although Smith has a history of substance abuse, Shirazi said he did not see the former NFL player use drugs on Saturday and has only seen him smoke marijuana occasionally over the years. He said he believed Smith’s death was a “natural death.”
“My impression was that this was a young man who wanted to help the homeless, which was great,” Scott Wagers, co-founder of CHAM Deliverance Ministry, told the press. he said. “When the 49ers and people like that want to help the community, that’s what it’s all about.”
San Francisco 49ers’ Aldon Smith prepares for the team’s first training camp practice on Thursday afternoon, July 24, 2014, in Santa Clara, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) (Photo: Karl Mondon/MediaNews Group/Mercury News via Getty Images) ((Photo: Karl Mondon/MediaNews Group/Mercury News via Getty Images))
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Smith was the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Missouri and made an immediate impact as a rookie, racking up 14.0 sacks and forcing two fumbles in 16 games. The following year, he set a franchise record with 19.5 sacks on the 49ers and was named a First-Team All-Pro while leading the team to Super Bowl XLVII.
Smith became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 30 career sacks in just 27 games, breaking the record previously held by Hall of Famer Reggie White.
Smith voluntarily entered rehab in 2013 and missed five games. He was suspended nine games in 2014 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse and personal conduct policies.
In 2015, the 49ers released Smith in August after his third DUI arrest, before he was signed by the Oakland Raiders weeks later.
Smith was indefinitely suspended from the NFL for four seasons while he dealt with legal and personal issues. He made a comeback in 2020 and played a full season with the Dallas Cowboys, starting all 16 games.
