Ron Brace Passes Away At 29
The official Twitter account of Boston College football announced that former defensive lineman of the team, Ron Brace, passed away at 29. The tweet said they were shocked and saddened by the loss and they are thinking and praying for his family and friends.
Brace was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round in 2009. He played for the Patriots for four season and recorded one forced fumble and 39 tackles in 39 games before he was released in December 2012. The demeanor of the Springfield native was laidback, but had a witty personality. He was popular in the locker room due to his infectious smile. His former teammates remembered him on Twitter.
Devin McCourty, New England safety, said he will always remember the smile and jokes of Brace while former Patriot linebacker Brandon Spikes tweeted “the good die young.”
Ron Brace was an excellent athlete at Burncoat Senior High School before he went to Boston College. He was selected by the Patriots in 2009 after the team traded its 47th pick together with fourth-round and sixth-round selections to the Oakland Raiders.
Brace felt blessed when he played for the Patriots. He said he was living the dream of every Massachusetts football player as his team was preparing for Super Bowl XLVI against the New York Giants. He said he went to Boston College before being drafted by his hometown team and was preparing to play on the Super Bowl.
Ron Brace was also active in his community. When a tornado damaged his childhood home in June 2011, he organized a number of charity events to help residents of Springfield who were affected by the storm. During that time, he said he was born and raised in Springfield, which made him the person he was. He added he cannot forget where he came from and everyone likes to live there. He wanted to make it look like the way it used to be before the tornado hit the area.
Brace also played for the Washington Redskins before his career in the NFL ended. Al Washington, defensive line coach and special teams coordinator of Boston College said Ron Brace contacted him recently about the possibility of starting a career as a coach.