What is the official cause of death for Marion Barber III, former Cowboys and Bears RB?
The former NFL star was found dead inside his Frisco apartment by police who were simply making a welfare check.
At the beginning of June we learned that former Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber III had been found dead in his Frisco apartment. Immediately rumors over what did or could have happen began to emerge. Now we have been provided with the answer.
Heat stroke killed Marion Barber
According to the Collin County medical examiner’s office, the 38-year-old’s death has been ruled an accident, caused by heat stroke.
On the first day of June, local police were performing a welfare check when they came across Barber lying dead in his Texan apartment. The autopsy report stated that water was running in the bathtub when those officers arrived, while the unit’s thermostat was set to 91 degrees Fahrenheit (33ºC), with the heat setting on..
The coroner observed in the report that, “Mr. Barber was known to exercise in sauna-like conditions.”
Russell Flannigan, a close friend and someone seen as like a father figure to Barber in Dallas spoke after the findings.
“There had been so much talk and so many rumors about the cause of death. This could have happened to anyone.”
Heatstroke is a killer... but preventable
According to the official figures released by the CDC, an average of 658 people die in the United States each year due to heat stroke, although all of heat-related deaths and illnesses are preventable. Find out more about what you can do to prevent heat stroke.
Nearly 1,000 children have died due to Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke since 1998. All of these deaths could have been prevented.
Dallas picked Barber in the 2005 fourth round, and he went on to make the Pro Bowl in 2007. In 99 games with the Cowboys (2005-10) and Chicago Bears (2011) Barber rushed for 4,780 yards and 53 scores.
RIP.