'A special soul': Son of former Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga dies at 17 years old

The son of former Green Bay Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga has died.

Julius Poppinga was a senior at Westlake High School in California and according to the Ventura County Star, citing sources, he suffered a severe asthma attack last week that led to a collapsed lung.

He was 17.

Poppinga was a member of the varsity football and lacrosse teams at the school in Thousand Oaks, California. The football team's official Instagram account offered their sympathies.

"The Westlake Football family wants to send our deepest condolences to the Poppinga Family," the post read. "Julius was a beloved member of our team and will be greatly missed by the entire tribe. #OneTribe #WarriorStrong."

There was a memorial at the school's football stadium on Wednesday. The scoreboard featured the number 58 (his uniform number) in the home and road slots during the ceremony. Poppinga was an offensive and defensive lineman. According to the VC Star, he played in the team's season opener Aug. 18.

Brady Poppinga, a member of the Packers' Super Bowl XLV team in 2010, took to X on Thursday night to offer his appreciation for those who have reached out.

"I would like to thank EVERYONE for their unbelievably beautiful, sweet and loving compassion sent our way," Poppinga wrote. "Julius is a special soul who has touched so many lives. He is missed, but we KNOW that through the Savior, we will see him and be with him again. #familiesareforever"

Julius Poppinga's sister, Jasmine, gave a touching tribute on her Instagram account Wednesday.

"Words can not even begin to describe the immense amount of love, kindness, compassion, humor, athleticism, knowledge, trustworthiness, consideration for others, sincerity, loyalty, and friendly characteristics Julius holds," it read in part. "He is the best younger brother I could ever ask for."

She added her brother always knew "how to make me laugh or smile even on the hardest days. Everyone who has a chance to interact with Julius and all of his accomplishments in this life have been blessed."

Jasmine called Julius her best friend and that she'll "miss him more then anyone can ever imagine, but knowing that Julius’s lovely soul is in the hands of God comforts me."

Brady Poppinga was a fourth-round draft pick by the Packers in 2005 out of BYU. He played for the Packers for six seasons and was a member of the team's Super Bowl XLV championship roster after the 2010 season. However, he suffered a knee injury in October of that season and didn't play in the Super Bowl.

Brady Poppinga played two more seasons in the NFL — one with the then-St. Louis Rams and one with the Dallas Cowboys — before retiring.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Green Bay Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga's son Julius dies