Former NFL star Ray Lewis’ eldest son, Ray Lewis III, has died. He was 28.
The late Miami resident’s passing was confirmed by his younger brother Rahsaan Lewis, who shared a heartbreaking tribute via Instagram Story.
“Really can’t believe I’m even typing this but RIP big brother,” Rahsaan wrote on Thursday, June 15. “A true angel. I pray your at peace now because ik how much you was rlly hurtin. I don’t and won’t ever have the words, man, ‘cause this pain right here.”
He continued: “I love you, I love you, I love you. Your niece gone miss u but she will hear about u over and over. Just watch over us all big bruh, be our guardian. I promise I’ll make you smile and proud.”
Ray III — whose cause of death has not been revealed — is survived by father Ray, 48, mother Tatyana McCall, and his five siblings: Rahsaan, Rayshad, Ralin, Diaymon, and Kaitlin.
The Hall of Fame linebacker and ex McCall, 46, have continued to coparent their three sons — Ray III, Rayshad and Rahsaan — after their split. Ray shares his youngest three kids from other past relationships.
“I’ll never leave my kids. Ever. Ever,” the Dancing With the Stars alum said during a September 2016 interview with Cigar Aficionado. “There’s not one birthday, one birth, one graduation, one dance recital, one football game that [I missed]. … What my kids will never understand was I was determined to break these curses, of listening to these fathers make all these excuses of why I could not be there.”
Neither the former Baltimore Ravens athlete nor McCall have publicly addressed Ray III’s death at the time of publication. Like her older brother Rahsaan, Diaymon, shared a sweet tribute to her late sibling.
“Brownie, I love you will all my heart. You will always be my first love and truly are the definition of a quintessential brother,” Diaymon captioned an Instagram Story tribute on Thursday. “To the most genuine and talented person I know. Go get your rest baby and I’m glad you’re at peace. Fly high, baby.”
She captioned a second post: “I’m not OK. 💔”
Prior to his passing, Ray III had followed in his father’s football footsteps. The late athlete was a running back at Lake Mary Prep High in Florida before he played at the two-time Super Bowl Champ’s University of Miami alma mater. Ray III later transferred to Coastal Carolina and Virginia Union.
“Ray [III] was a tremendous young man who played with the spirit of a lion. He was a great asset to the Virginia Union family,” coach Mark James told the Baltimore Sun. “He will always be a Panther. God bless his family.”
Ray III later went on to pursue a career in music with the release of his debut EP Now or Never.
