Former NFL star Keyshawn Johnson broke the sad news on social media on Monday that his eldest daughter, Maia, died at the age of 25.
“It is with incredible sadness that I must share the news of the death of my beautiful daughter Maia,” he wrote.
“Maia, as my first daughter, has been the joy of my life and the life of her Mother Shikiri. She came into our lives when we were both coming of age and has been a constant beloved presence for both of us. “
Johnson, 48, asked the public to give his family privacy while they mourned the loss.
“We are heartbroken and devastated by the loss of it,” he wrote. “Shikiri, Maia’s brothers, our family and I thank you for your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. We also appreciate your support and respect for our privacy as we move forward. Thank you all, God bless. Keyshawn Johnson, Sr. ”
The cause of death was not immediately known. Maia Johnson was one of two children that Johnson had with ex-wife Shikiri Hightower. He also has two other children with his current wife Jennifer Conrad.
Hightower did not comment publicly on Maia’s death. In 2017, she shared a series of photos on Instagram in honor of Maia’s 22 years.
“22 years ago, your father and I proudly brought you into this world. I was 19 years old, I was in the second year of USC, your father was 22, as you are today. We were so young, we wanted nothing more than to be your parents, ”she started.
“My fearless, beautiful, intelligent, traveled and resourceful daughter, my mini-me, throughout our journey, we have literally grown, discovering life together,” she added.
Johnson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 NFL draft at the University of Southern California, played with four teams over 11 seasons in the league and won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He currently works as a commentator for ESPN and presents “Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin” with Jay Williams and Zubin Mehenti on ESPN Radio.
“Our thoughts are with Keyshawn and his family as they deal with this unthinkable tragedy,” said ESPN in a statement. “He has the full support of his ESPN family.”