Former University of Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Sam Bruce died due to a heart attack that he suffered on April 28 while driving his car in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to the medical examiner’s report. The Broward County Medical Examiner report, obtained by TMZ Thursday, indicates that Bruce’s death at age 24 was due to natural causes, with coronary artery disease being found as a contributing factor.
Bruce was involved in a car accident around 8:23 p.m. on April 28 after suffering a medical episode while driving. A spokesperson for the Ft. Lauderdale Police Department told TMZ at the time that emergency personnel performed CPR on Bruce after arriving at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital. Bruce later died at the hospital the next morning.
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Bruce, who was the nephew of NFL Hall of Fame player Isaac Bruce, played football at St. Thomas Aquinas in high school, helping the team bring home two back-to-back state titles in 2014 and 2015. He then committed to play for the University of Miami Hurricanes in 2014 but was dismissed for multiple team rules violations months into his freshman season, which he admitted in 2021 included falling asleep during meetings and missing the team bus on a game day against Florida State. Bruce went on to enroll at Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. and Southeastern University after leaving the University of Miami.
St. Thomas Aquinas paid tribute to the late athlete on the day of his passing, writing on social media at the time, “R.I.P. Sam Bruce ! We Will Miss You and We Love You !” The South Florida Express, Bruce’s high school 7-on-7 team, also shared condolences on social media. “We are saddened to hear about the loss of one of the greatest players to ever come through SFE. Your infectious energy, and the ability to make anybody laugh will forever live in our hearts,” the team tweeted. “We spoke with Sams family, they just ask you to pray for their family during this time.”
