Ronnie Hillman, who won the Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos, has died at the age of 31 from a rare form of cancer called renal medullary carcinoma, his family said Dec. 21.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother & father, Ronnie K Hillman Jr.,” the family said in a statement shared on Instagram.
“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.”
Earlier, The Hillman’s family shared an update letting followers know that Hillman had been placed in hospice care, while announcing he had been diagnosed with renal medullary carcinoma in August.
“As a family, we hope beyond hope, and we have faith that can move mountains,” the statement said in part. “We also understand that God’s will is not always ours; therefore, we as a family subject ourselves to the will of our Almighty God. We need your prayers, but we also need your understanding and respect for Ronnie and our family’s privacy at this time.”
Renal medullary carcinoma is extremely rare and it is not currently possible to predict those individuals with sickle cell trait who will eventually develop this cancer. It is hoped that early detection could result in better outcomes but screening is not feasible. [citation needed]
Hillman was a third-round selection out of San Diego State University by the Broncos in the 2012 NFL Draft. He played the first four seasons of his career with Denver, helping the team win Super Bowl 50 in the 2015 season.
