Chris Henry 1983-2009
Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry , 26, has died of injuries suffered after falling from the back of a pickup truck Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C. He received “catastrophic head trauma” and died at 6:36 a.m. Thursday- see video below.
According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police spokesman Robert Fey, the athlete was found in the road approximately eight miles north of Charlotte, “suffering life-threatening injuries” and transported to an area hospital where he remained in intensive care until his death.
The accident was the result of a domestic dispute between Henry and his fiancee Loleini Tonga. Just after noon on Wednesday, Chris jumped into the bed of a pickup truck as his girlfriend was speeding away from the residence. An argument continued as she drove away and he was eventually thrown from the vehicle about a half mile from the home where the couple have been living with their three children; DeMarcus, 10 months, Seini, 3, and Chris Jr., 2.
Henry, in the final year of his contract with the Bengals, had been on injured reserve status since breaking his left forearm on November 8 in a game against Baltimore. His tenure with the team has had some rough spots, including multiple suspensions after he was arrested a total of four times for crimes that include marijuana possession in December 2005, a weapons charge in January 2006, and several other breaches that violated the league’s conduct policy.
The athlete was reportedly so grateful to be given additional changes to continue playing for the team, that he got a tattoo that said “Blessed” below his left ear – see photo below.
Bengals president Mike Brown said, “It’s a terrible tragedy, just at the time he was running to daylight his life was snuffed out.” According to the Bengals website, the team will wear a No. 15 sticker on their helmets in San Diego and will wear Chris Henry’s heart on their sleeve.
View more photos of Chris Henry, Loleini Tonga and their children in our gallery and accident video including 911 audio below.