Ronnie Hillman, Former Denver Broncos Star, in Hospice with Kidney Cancer
Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Ronnie Hillman
Former NFL running back Ronnie Hillman has a rare form of kidney cancer and has entered hospice care, according to multiple reports.
The 31-year-old, who helped the Denver Broncos win a Super Bowl in 2015, was diagnosed with renal medullary carcinoma in August, his family told TMZ in a statement Tuesday.
Two former teammates, Orlando Franklin and Derek Wolfe, also confirmed Hillman's condition.
"#BroncosCountry please pray for Ronnie Hillman he's in hospice and not doing well," Franklin tweeted Tuesday.
Speaking to Denver's 104.3 The Fan, Wolfe said that the former athlete also had pneumonia.
"He's got bad liver cancer and he's in hospice now," Wolfe said. "It's not looking good. He has pneumonia and I'm putting it out there just to send positive vibes his way."
"Great football player, great person, great teammate, just an all around great dude," Wolfe added.
"That's awful news," former teammate Brandon Stokley added to The Fan. "He had a slow start but really picked it up and contributed a lot during the Super Bowl year."
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Steve Nehf/The Denver Post via Getty Ronnie Hillman
Hillman's family said in their statement that his condition has deteriorated since August after his cancer treatment sadly proved unsuccessful.
"As a family, we hope beyond hope, and we have faith that can move mountains," the statement read. "We also understand that God's will is not always ours; therefore, we as a family subject ourselves to the will of our Almighty God. We need your prayers, but we also need your understanding and respect for Ronnie and our family's privacy at this time."
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Renal medullary carcinoma is a rare cancer of the kidney that predominantly affects young people between the ages of 10 and 40 of African descent who carry the sickle cell trait, according to the CDC.
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Hillman is a Long Beach, California native who was a standout at San Diego State University. He was drafted in the third round by the Broncos and played there for six seasons.
During the team's Super Bowl run in 2015, he rushed for 863 yards and seven touchdowns.
Hillman also played for the Minnesota Vikings, San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys before retiring.
