Aldon Smith’s Last Act Before His Death Wasn’t What Anyone Expected

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

The football world is mourning, and the details emerging about how Aldon Smith spent his last day are as heartbreaking as they are quietly redemptive. The former NFL pass rusher, whose immense on-field talent was so often overshadowed by his struggles off it, died on Saturday at the age of 36. According to those who were with him, his final act was one of generosity.

Smith spent the last hours of his life delivering pizza to a charity that feeds the homeless — a small gesture that paints a very different picture than the headlines that followed him for much of his career.

The Last Day of Aldon Smith

The account comes from Smith’s friend Amir Shirazi, who accompanied him on the delivery and was with him when he became unresponsive. The two reportedly showed up unannounced at CHAM Deliverance Ministry, a Bay Area charity, carrying ten pizzas to hand out. The charity’s co-founder, Scott Wagers, said the visit struck him as a young man simply wanting to help people in need, and praised the instinct of athletes who give back to their communities.

Shirazi told the San Francisco Chronicle that the public version of Smith never matched the man he knew, describing him as a gentle, caring presence to anyone who got close enough to see it. He said Smith had been working hard to turn his life around, even recently stopping by the 49ers’ facility to speak with the team’s rookies and steer younger players away from the mistakes that had cost him so much.

After dropping off the food, the pair drove back to Shirazi’s home. Shirazi says he stepped inside briefly, and when he returned to his truck, he found Smith slumped over and unresponsive. He told the Chronicle that Smith had seemed completely fine only an hour earlier, leaving him stunned. While the cause of death has not been confirmed, Shirazi said he believes it was natural causes.

A first-round pick of the 49ers in 2011, Smith was one of the most dominant young defenders in the league during his early seasons, racking up double-digit sacks and looking every bit a future star before legal troubles and suspensions repeatedly interrupted his path. He later spent time with the Raiders and other clubs as he tried to rebuild his career and his life.

That he chose to spend his final afternoon giving back offers a small measure of grace to a story that ended far too soon. Aldon Smith was 36.