The son of former Packers Super Bowl champion Brady Poppinga died last week after suffering a severe asthma attack. He was 17 years old.
Julius Poppinga, a high school varsity football player at Westlake High School in Ventura, California, died following an extraordinarily severe asthma that resulted in a collapsed lung, according to reports.
The 17-year-old had been hospitalized last week following a severe asthma attack.
“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,” Julius’ older sister Jasmine wrote on Instagram. “He is the best younger brother I could ever ask for and the most amazing older brother to my younger sisters. He always lights up a room with his loving and warm energy.”
Brady Poppinga, 43, played in the NFL from 2005-2012. The highlight of his career came in 2010 when he won the Super Bowl with the Packers in 2010. Poppinga also played with the Rams and Cowboys.
Brady Poppinga, #51 of the Green Bay Packers, runs during the NFL game against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field on November 18, 2007, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
“Julius was a beloved member of our team and will be greatly missed by the entire tribe,” the Westlake football team wrote on social media.
Julius Poppinga (Brady Poppinga/Instagram)
“He always knows how to make me laugh or smile even on the hardest days,” his sister wrote in her tribute post. “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.”
Amazing show of love and support tonight for the Poppinga family from our Warrior community! #WeAreWarriors #JP58 #JP84 #WarriorFamily pic.twitter.com/AT5MDYfQfl
— Westlake HS (@WestlakeHS_CA) August 31, 2023
Jasmine added, “I am beyond proud to be his sister and best friend. I miss him more then anyone can ever imagine, but knowing that Julius’s lovely soul is in the hands of God comforts me.”
Julius Poppinga is survived by his father, Brady, his mother, Brooke, and two siblings.