Ronnie Hillman, the pride of Compton in California, was picked by the Broncos in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Throughout his career, the running back played for Denver, the Chargers and the Minnesota Vikings.
Ronnie Hillman was part of the Broncos team that won Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers with an impressive season of Hall of Fame quarterback, Peyton Manning. In that year (2015), Hillman led Denver in rushing yards. He played for the San Diego Aztecs at the college level and in 2011 had a remarkable performance: 1478 yards and 15 touchdowns.
During the 2017 season, he made a last effort to find a spot in the NFL working out in the practice squad of the Dallas Cowboys. However, Ronnie Hillman couldn't make his wished comeback. Now, at only 31 years old, the running back has died and these are the causes.
What was the cause of death of Ronnie Hillman?
Ronnie Hillman had been fighting for many months against cancer. In a very emotional post, the running back's family announced his battle against Renal Medullary Carcinoma. That is a rare, but highly aggressive, neoplasm form of cancer that primarily affects young African Americans with sickle cell trait. Unfortunately, the treatment wasn't succesful.
"It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother & father, Ronnie K Hillman Jr. Ronnie quietly and peacefully transitioned today in the company of his family and close friends. We as the family, appreciate the prayers and kind words that have already been expressed. We ask that you would give us time to process our feelings as we prepare to lay our precious RJ to rest." was part of the family's message on Instagram.
