very sad

[Brindled]

SI.com - 2006 NCAA Football Bowls - USC kicker Danelo found dead at bottom of cliff - Sunday January 7, 2007 12:03AM

Originally Posted by SAN PEDRO, Calif. (AP)

-- Southern California kicker Mario Danelo was found dead Saturday about 120 feet down a rocky cliff near Point Fermin lighthouse.

The body was reported by a passer-by at about 4:30 p.m., said Martha Garcia of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Danelo, the 21-year-old son of former NFL kicker Joe Danelo, made 15 of 16 field goals this season and led the Trojans in scoring with 89 points. The junior made two field goals in the Rose Bowl on Monday to help USC beat Michigan 32-18.

Speaking on behalf of Trojans coach Pete Carroll, USC spokesman Tim Tessalone said: "We were stunned to hear about this tragedy. This is a great loss. Mario was a wonderful young man of high character.

"He was one heck of a kicker. He was a key ingredient in our success the past two years. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Trojan family go out to the Danelo family on this sad, sad day."

when i read this every hair on my body raised. personally, i can't begin to fathom the depression it takes to kill yourself. i'm not sure whether foul play has been ruled out or not. this is very saddening to me considering his football career was doing well.

RIP

[pvsurfer03]

Wow, that's terrible. I wonder if there was any foul-play, suicide, etc? San Pedro is about 20 minutes away from where I'm from.

[Scarecrow11B]

It is possible that maybe he was free climbing and fell? Or he was rock climbing and something happened that he fell? I saw nothing in that report that shows it is a suicide or foul play.

[OAKCLIFFSFINEST]

i dont think it was suicide he just came off a rose bowl win who could be depressed after that?...but you never know i think it was an accident...but you cant rule out foul play all they said was he was found at the bottom of the cliff...not fell...

[pvsurfer03]

Originally Posted by Scarecrow11B

It is possible that maybe he was free climbing and fell? Or he was rock climbing and something happened that he fell? I saw nothing in that report that shows it is a suicide or foul play.

I don't think so, no one really climbs up that cliff. If I remember correctly there's actually stairs going down to the water. The last article I read says it's either suicide, an accident, or foul play.