Former Oakland Raiders running back George Atkinson, III, 27, has died one year after his twin brother Josh Atkinson committed suicide.
George, who also played for the Cleveland Browns, is the son of Super Bowl champion George Atkinson II.
According to People magazine, the Athletic’s Pete Sampson tweeted the news late Monday night. No cause of death was reported.
George’s death comes after his twin brother Josh committed suicide last Christmas. George and Josh played football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. They also excelled at track & field.
Josh was reportedly depressed after their mother died from complications of Crohn’s disease. She was also diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
In an open letter written in October and published by The Unsealed, George opened up about his struggles grieving the loss of his mother and his twin brother.
Titled “How I Turned My Losses Into Lessons”, George wrote that his brother felt guilty over their mom’s death.
George said he was hospitalized on a mental ward for self-harm after his brother died.
“That’s the moment I felt like I lost everything. That’s the moment I can’t describe,” he wrote. “I never want you to feel his pain or my pain.”
George said his 2-year-old daughter motivated him and gave him the will to live.
“I knew I had to find a way to keep going and be a role model for her,” he wrote. “Without my daughter, I don’t know where I would be right now. She gave me that second wind of motivation.”
