Edward Aschoff, a college football reporter for ESPN, died Tuesday on this 34th birthday, according to a statement posted yesterday on ESPN’s official Twitter page.
“We are very sorry to have to share the devastating news of the tragic passing of friend and ESPN colleague Edward Aschoff. He died earlier today, his 34th birthday. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, including his fiancée, Katy.”
Statement from ESPN: “We are very sorry to have to share the devastating news of the tragic passing of friend and ESPN colleague Edward Aschoff. He died earlier today, his 34th birthday. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, including his fiancée Katy.”
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) December 25, 2019
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura revealed that Aschoff died only months before his wedding to his fiancée, Katy.
Today was his birthday and his wedding was just a few months away. He worked very hard and treated people the right way to get where he was … his life just about to start in so many ways. pic.twitter.com/MJBbE01xnf
— Kyle Bonagura (@BonaguraESPN) December 25, 2019
Cause of death
ESPN reported that Aschoff died “after a brief illness,” but did not reveal the cause of death. However, Aschoff had shared on Twitter a few weeks before he died that he had pneumonia. He said he contracted the illness despite being young and having a “very good immune system.”
Anyone ever had multifocal (bilateral) pneumonia in their early 30s as some who never gets sick and has a very good immune system? Asking for two friends … my lungs.
— Edward Aschoff (@AschoffESPN) December 5, 2019
Tributes on Twitter
Aschoff’s friends, co-workers, and sports fans have been paying tribute on Twitter. Former co-workers who paid tribute included ESPN’s Andrea Adelson, Kyle Bonagura, Ryan McGee, and senior writer Adam Rittenberg.
Terrible news my heart is broken. RIP EDWARD ASCHOFF. Sad day. My condolences!
— Michael Aschoff (@MichaelAschoff3) December 25, 2019
It is an honor to share this byline with @ClowESPN as we pay tribute to our beloved friend, brother and colleague, Edward Aschoff. https://t.co/uPvRM6oZFW
— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) December 25, 2019
Edward Aschoff was one of my closest friends. He was was one the most genuine, enthusiastic, personable people I’ve ever and he made the world a better place.
Today is unspeakably sad and I’m devastated for Katy and his family.
— Kyle Bonagura (@BonaguraESPN) December 25, 2019
Edward Aschoff was my other little brother and I don’t have the words to fill the hole in my heart tonight. pic.twitter.com/VESoFgGVCf
— Ryan McGee (@ESPNMcGee) December 25, 2019
This is how I’ll remember Ed: Happy, vibrant, fun. We should all strive to enjoy life as much as he did. pic.twitter.com/IX5rBtXgHi
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) December 25, 2019
Edward Aschoff bio
Aschoff graduated from the University of Florida in 2008.
After a stint covering Florida football for The Gainesville Sun, he joined ESPN in 2011 and worked as a reporter based in Atlanta. He started as a member of ESPN’s team for its SEC blog network. Aschoff was described as a young man with a radiant disposition and a keen sense of humor.
He moved to Los Angeles in 2017 where he worked as a national sports news reporter. His work also included TV coverage.
He covered college football news for ESPN.com, SportsCenter, SEC Network, and ESPN Radio. He also did sideline reporting.
ESPN Executive Editor Lauren Reynolds described Aschoff as one of the “smartest, brightest reporters” he’d ever worked with.
“For as good of a reporter Ed was, he was an even better person,” Reynolds said. “He always put people first — those whose stories he told, and those who had the honor of working alongside him.”
He was a fan of several sports teams, including the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, the MLB’s Colorado Rockies, and the NBA’s Toronto Raptors.
Aschoff and his ESPN colleague, Adam Rittenberg, won first place in the 2016 Football Writers Association’s contest for their work on the influences of race in college football, according to ESPN.
Aschoff died amid plans for a wedding in April to his fiancée, Katy. Katy proposed to Edward in December, according to ESPN.