Eagles wide receiver Devon Allen’s father died last weekend, according to a media report in Phoenix.
The Arizona Republic reported that the death was confirmed by Allen’s mother on social media. Louis Jr. was 63. The Allen family is from the Phoenix area and Devon attended high school at Brophy Prep.
The newspaper said Allen’s mother, Bernadette, kept the news from her son to not distract him while he was competing in the U.S. championships last weekend.
“He [Louis Jr.] was not that ill so this happening was a shock to all of us,” Bernadette told the Republic. “I do not know exactly what happened until an autopsy is done.
“What a friend he was to many. He was a very loving husband to me and I have a huge void in my life without Louis. He was everything to me.”
Allen finished third in the 110-meter hurdles in the U.S. Championships, qualifying for the world championships. His third-place time was 13.09. The winner was Daniel Roberts, who ran a 13.03.
The world championships are in July in Eugene, Oregon, site of the U.S. championships.
Allen has had an amazing spring on the track. He has three first-place finishes including the third-fastest 110 time (12.84) in history. He is a three-time national champion and two-time Olympian.
