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Players, coaches and fans take to social media to remember Tyler Hilinski

After the tragic events of last night, many shared thoughts and memories of Tyler Hilinski on Twitter

By Jeff Collier
NCAA Football: Washington State at Arizona State Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Last night was a rough one for Cougar fans everywhere. Washington State quarterback Tyler Hilinski was found dead in his Pullman apartment after an apparent suicide at just 21 years old.

WSU faithful from all over needed a place to grieve with fellow fans, and many of them found it on Twitter. A lot of people turned to the social networking site to give their thoughts on the events and give their memories of the young man who left us far sooner than he should have.

Below are some of those thoughts from fellow players, coaches and fans that were touched by Tyler Hilinski, both on the field and off.

We’ll start with former Cougar quarterback Ryan Leaf. His struggles are well documented, but he was able overcome them and now works as an ambassador for a rehab facility in Los Angeles.

Spokesman Review beat writer Theo Lawson checked in with this recap of a heartbreaking interview he did with Hilinski’s mother following the team’s dramatic come from behind victory over Boise State.

You might remember that, last May, WSU DB Grant Porter was recognized by the city of Pullman for helping to prevent a man from committing suicide at a city park. He gave his unique perspective on Tuesday night.

Coaches, both current and former, also gave their thoughts on the tragic loss.

And some of the people that knew Tyler the best, his WSU teammates, also took time to remember the man they nicknamed “Klink.”

Cougar fans have also been showing their support. Late Tuesday night, fans and students started decorating the Cougar Pride statue in front of Martin Stadium, in honor of Hilinski.

If I missed any tributes to Hilinski, or if you have any memories yourself, feel free to share them in the comments below.

And, most importantly, if you need help or know someone that does, there are plenty of resources out there designed to help you. Washington State has a 24-hour hotline available for student at 509-335-2159, while staff and faculty can get assistance at the Employee Assistance Program at 1-877-313-4455. The national 24-hour hotline is available at 1-800-273-8255.

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