Cardiac arrest killed Lamar Abel, a young man from Sunrise who played on the 2008 University of Florida national championship football team, authorities recently concluded.
There was no evidence of foul play when Abel, 21, died unexpectedly in Gainvesville on May 22, police said. But officials had been waiting for a medical examiner's report, which was finished this month and formally determined Abel died of "natural/sudden cardiac arrest," Gainesville Police Cpl. Tscharna Senn said in an e-mail Wednesday to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
UF players have kept paying tribute since Abel's death, including during the Oct. 2 game against Alabama. That's when Gators defensive tackle Jaye Howard wore Abel's number, 62, instead of his usual No. 6.
Abel was a 2007 graduate of Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach. At UF, Abel was a walk-on player who participated in the football team's scout program. During the 2008 season, he played in five games. The team won its third national title with a 24-14 win over Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship Game in Miami Gardens.
The 6-2, 260-pound former defensive lineman played until 2009 and then began devoting more time to volunteer work and scholastics, his family said. He was a finance major.
Hundreds attended his funeral June 5 in Fort Lauderdale, where he was remembered for his closeness to his parents, brother and other family members.
SOURCE: South Florida Sun Sentinel