Julius Poppinga, the son of former Packers Super Bowl champion linebacker Brady Poppinga, recently died, according to the Ventura County Star. The publication reports that Poppinga suffered a severe asthma attack, adding that he dealt with a collapsed lung while hospitalized that he didn’t recover from.
The 17-year-old junior attended Westlake High School in Thousand Oaks, California, and was a two-way football player. The teen also played lacrosse. In an email sent out to the school community, according to the Ventura Star, Principal Jason Branham said, “On behalf of the entire Westlake High School community, we send our deepest condolences to Julius’ family, friends, teammates, and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing and interacting with him.”
The statement continues, “At Westlake and throughout CVUSD, one of our greatest strengths is our caring and close community, which makes it all the more important that we continue to support and be there for one another in the incomprehensible time of loss and sadness.” The Los Angeles Times reported that Poppinga hadn’t practiced or played since August 18. Westlake coach Mark Serve told the publication he recently visited Julius in the hospital.
Serve said, “He didn’t want to talk about his health. He wanted to talk football. We talked about him getting back on the field. I was texting last night letting him know.” Poppinga’s sister, Jasmine, posted a heartfelt message on Instagram. She wrote, “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. He is the best younger brother I could ever ask for. And the most amazing older brother to my younger sisters.”
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She continued, “Everyone who has a chance to interact with Julius and all of his accomplishments in this life have been blessed. Taking this tragic event and looking at it in a positive way has been hard, but instead of grieving, I would rather celebrate his 17 wonderful and beautiful years on this earth and all the impacts he made in my life, my families, his peers, teammates, teachers, coaches, and anyone who has ever met him. I love you, Julius.”
The Westlake football team’s Instagram account also posted a picture of Poppinga and his sister, saying, “The Westlake Football family wants to send our deepest condolences to the Poppinga family. Julius was a beloved member of our team and will be greatly missed by the entire tribe. #OneTribe #WarriorStrong.” According to The Los Angeles Times, Westlake is scheduled to play Thousand Oaks and Julius’ father told Serve his son would’ve wanted the team to play.
Brady, a fourth-round pick of the Packers in the 2005 NFL Draft, spent six of his eight NFL seasons with them, including their 2011 Super Bowl XLV championship team. He also played with the Rams and Cowboys, ending his career with Dallas in 2012. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Brady named his son Julius Maximus in honor of the film “Gladiator.”
Losing a child and a friend can be difficult, especially at a young age. Please keep the Poppinga family and Julius’ friends, classmates, and teammates in your prayers as they endure these challenging times.
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