MADISON – Tragedy struck the family of former Wisconsin running back James White on Sunday.
According to multiple reports, White’s parents were involved in an automobile accident. His father, Tyrone, was killed. His mother, Lisa, was in critical condition.
White, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is in his seventh season with the New England Patriots. He was held out of the Patriots’ road game Sunday night against the Seattle Seahawks.
Tyrone White was a captain with the Miami-Dade Police Department.
According to reports: Patriots owner Robert Kraft, after learning the news of the accident, offered to fly James White to Miami.
White, however, decided he would fly home with his teammates after the game.
James White played at UW from 2010 through ’13. He rushed for a combined 4,105 yards and 45 touchdowns and caught 73 passes for 670 yards and three scores.
Bret Bielema, White’s coach for three seasons, consistently lauded how well White’s parents had raised their son.
James White was named one of New England’s captains before the 2020 season.
Several of his former teammates at UW — Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson, Denver running back Melvin Gordon and Chris Borland — used Twitter to reach out to White.
White learned of the accident hours after he shared his thoughts on the passing of Msgr. Michael Burke, who served as the unofficial chaplain of the UW football team for more than four decades.
Burke, 72, passed away Saturday night in Madison.
“Rest In Peace Father Mike!” White wrote on Twitter. “You impacted so many lives in a positive way at Wisconsin!”