Tony Dungy's son found dead [Archive] - Front Office Football Central

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Greyroofoo

12-22-2005, 09:02 AM

Just saw it on CNN :(

No details yet

miami_fan

12-22-2005, 09:05 AM

Damn Damn Damn. I just got a chance to meet Tony and James(his son) when I went over to Jacksonville for the game. This is really sad news.

RIP James

stevew

12-22-2005, 09:17 AM

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's department is confirming the death of 18-year-old James Dungy. Dungy, the son of former Buccaneers coach Tony Dungy, was found dead in his North Tampa apartment by his girlfriend early this morning. A death investigation is going on now. At this time, it appears suicide is the cause of death.

The sheriff's office reports an emergency call came in at 1:30 a.m. from Dungy's apartment at Campus Lodge Apartments near USF. Paramedics responded, finding Dungy not breathing. They attempted CPR on Dungy, then transported him to UCH hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Tony Dungy was flying in to Tampa Thursday morning.

GreenMonster

12-22-2005, 09:24 AM

Awful news, Dungy is a great NFL mind, and even a better person.

Kodos

12-22-2005, 09:27 AM

:(

There's been a lot of bad news this week.

George

12-22-2005, 09:28 AM

Terrible news. :(

scooper

12-22-2005, 09:29 AM

That's awful. My prayers go out to the Dungy family. By all accounts, he's one of the good guys.

biological warrior

12-22-2005, 09:31 AM

Very sad to hear.

sachmo71

12-22-2005, 09:44 AM

Makes the playoffs seem pretty insignificant.

WSUCougar

12-22-2005, 09:54 AM

Man, that is tragic news. :(

Eaglesfan27

12-22-2005, 10:01 AM

Horrible news. :(

pennywisesb

12-22-2005, 10:03 AM

RIP James and my prayers will be going out to the entire Dungy family.

st.cronin

12-22-2005, 10:42 AM

Horrible, horrible news.

SFL Cat

12-22-2005, 11:00 AM

Wow...just wow.

Dutch

12-22-2005, 12:49 PM

:( Unbelievably sad...

Senator

12-22-2005, 01:16 PM

WHY???

biological warrior

12-22-2005, 01:18 PM

So young too.....this has to be one of the saddest things in life for a father to outlive his son.

Raiders Army

12-22-2005, 01:57 PM

So young too.....this has to be one of the saddest things in life for a father to outlive his son.
Very true statement. My heart goes out to him. Was this the son that was always on the sidelines? I remember seeing a special about Tony Dungy and he mentioned how his son came with him to every game.

Karlifornia

12-22-2005, 02:04 PM

Damn, that's brutal. It definitely renders football insignificant.

Antmeister

12-22-2005, 02:10 PM

Damn........

JonInMiddleGA

12-22-2005, 02:17 PM

Very true statement. My heart goes out to him. Was this the son that was always on the sidelines? I remember seeing a special about Tony Dungy and he mentioned how his son came with him to every game.

One of the articles about this somewhere (ESPN maybe?) mentions that this son and another were sideline guests from time to time. This one was 6'7" (and often mistaken for a Colt players according to the same article) if that helps you ID him any.

Raiders Army

12-22-2005, 02:32 PM

Saw the pic of him on espn.com. I thought he was younger, but then again it was a while ago. Regardless, Tony Dungy has always come across classy and I will keep him in my thoughts.

vtbub

12-22-2005, 03:32 PM

Just horrible.

Emiliano

12-22-2005, 06:39 PM

Damn. Horrible, horrible news. :(

Lorena

12-22-2005, 07:27 PM

OMG, that's terrible!! May you rest in peace James :(

Joe

12-22-2005, 07:30 PM

earlier I heard that it was a suicide (I believe it was fox reporting), any confirmation of that?

Easy Mac

12-22-2005, 07:35 PM

pretty sure its confirmed. Feel bad for Dungy and his family, but won't give any more of my opinion on the subject if its true so I don't piss anyone else off.

Mike1409

12-22-2005, 08:04 PM

Sad news:(

Yes, when Dungy was coach for the Bucs, he was the one who went out to pick up the tees after the kickoff and then later held his headset wire.

Young Drachma

12-22-2005, 08:04 PM

Thats so sad.

tucker rocky

12-22-2005, 08:40 PM

Sad, sad news :(

Joe

12-24-2005, 09:42 PM

here's a copy of his myspace page:

http://www.freewebs.com/theddesign/dungy6.htm

Ryan S

12-24-2005, 09:53 PM

here's a copy of his myspace page:

http://www.freewebs.com/theddesign/dungy6.htm
That site gives me a headache.

Pumpy Tudors

12-24-2005, 09:53 PM

here's a copy of his myspace page:

http://www.freewebs.com/theddesign/dungy6.htm
That page is a fucking joke, right?

Joe

12-24-2005, 10:00 PM

no joke, same thing that was on myspace.com before they took it down

Dutch

12-24-2005, 10:25 PM

A strange web-site but I'd never get a clue that he would be willing to kill himself. Makes me think the kid probably OD'ed.....or wigged out and killed himself. Stupid.

GreenMonster

12-24-2005, 11:10 PM

A strange web-site but I'd never get a clue that he would be willing to kill himself. Makes me think the kid probably OD'ed.....or wigged out and killed himself. Stupid.

Very caring comment, I hope your kids are fine..

Dutch

12-24-2005, 11:23 PM

I think you have misinterpreted my position. I am very saddened by any needless loss of life.

Using the web-site as a reference, I simply pointed out that it showed no clues of him being unhappy. And if he OD'ed or was high on drugs when he committed his act, it would be stupid.

Obviously, the web-site isn't enough evidence to prove he was happy, and neither is one post by me enough evidence for you to say something about my kids.

GreenMonster

12-24-2005, 11:27 PM

Dutch

12-24-2005, 11:33 PM

If he didn't OD or wasn't high is the same act stupid..

I intended the stupid to be a part of the presence of drugs. Somebody who wants to commit suicide can get help if they are sober. They have the ability to think and *may* reach out for help.

However, there are usually signs that we can all look for and we should act upon. A few of his friends on the website mention they haven't seen him in a while. If you are close, you should check up on your buddies. That looks like the first clue right there.

Obviously the web-site isn't real-life. In real life, people shoudl probably be able to recognize if somebody is feeling down or hurt, ESPECIALLY at this time of year. I believe statistics show that suicides are well above average in December than any other time.

Do I think it's stupid if he committed sucide while sober? Well.....yes. But I do think the alternatives are very difficult for someone in that situation to see - and if he was high, his chances of recognizing that (alternatives to suicide) were exponentially lower and a very bad choice given his apparent situation.

GreenMonster

12-24-2005, 11:41 PM

Dutch, I think stupid may be the wrong word to discribe this. Do I think it's stupid if he committed suicide while sober.. No its not stupid its sad. If he was high or not, he needed help he didn't get in time. I understand some of your points, although I believe using the word stupid to deal with suicide is a little harsh.

Dutch

12-25-2005, 12:47 AM

It wasn't the best choice of words I could have used. There are many words that describe it. Sad is the first, obviously.

MizzouRah

12-25-2005, 08:14 AM

What a freaky website. Sad.

biological warrior

12-25-2005, 12:36 PM

That was one weird site. seemed to show some inner trouble or something on the inside.
Are there any updates on his suicide ie: how/why?

Buccaneer

12-27-2005, 06:55 PM

Has it been confirmed whether that awful site was real or a cruel hoax?

tanglewood

12-27-2005, 07:13 PM

Has it been confirmed whether that awful site was real or a cruel hoax?

Real site. I was on it on the official Myspace thing before it was taken down.

Pumpy Tudors

12-27-2005, 07:20 PM

Real site. I was on it on the official Myspace thing before it was taken down.
Was there any evidence that it was actually James Dungy's Myspace page? I mean, anyone can call themselves "Dungy." I guess it's just hard to imagine a son of Tony Dungy's having stuff like that all over his page, but I understand that kids are kids. I dunno. The whole Myspace page just seemed like a parody of... something.

Buccaneer

12-27-2005, 07:22 PM

That was my thought, I could be a simple name replacement or someone else.

Karlifornia

12-27-2005, 07:26 PM

That's a wild Myspace...sounds like the poor kid was trying a wee bit too hard.

Joe

12-27-2005, 07:28 PM

I don't know if it was a hoax or not, but media reports were quoting things from the page.

biological warrior

12-27-2005, 08:26 PM

I don't know if it was a hoax or not, but media reports were quoting things from the page. Heard stuff from the media that said: ''the site was linked to ''sex sites et. ala.''

thesloppy

12-27-2005, 09:15 PM

The myspace profile is weird, but I could easily see it being an immature attempt at irony. Note that one of his friends even goes so far as to comment "James wat n da hell made u chose a layout like dis", obviously not what a friend expected to see. Perhaps it speaks to some of the darkness that caused him to take his own life, but personally I wouldn't take it literally. I think it's telling that the media will go so far as to site the page, but have yet to find a real live voice to confirm that the page reflected his attitude in life.

Buccaneer

12-28-2005, 06:20 AM

but media reports were...
Media reports are to be taken with a huge grain of salt.

tanglewood

12-28-2005, 06:26 AM

Obviously with the internet noone can guarentee anyone's identity, but I'm reasonably sure it was his site. It had a lengthy history of people sending him and him sending messages, so it couldn't have just been put up on the day or whatever. Also, it had one of his friends/aquaintances replying saying how shcoked they were, which presumably if someone had just changed the name of their page wouldn't have happened. So I think it was probably his site, mainly because it would be too much hassle to forge for no real purpose or gain of any kind.

Of course, even considering it as his, it doesn't mean it was a serious website.

Joe

12-28-2005, 06:40 AM

It is incredibly alarming that he had a layout with pictures of Randy Moss and not Marvin Harrison

JonInMiddleGA

12-28-2005, 06:56 AM

Also, it had one of his friends/aquaintances replying saying how shcoked they were, which presumably if someone had just changed the name of their page wouldn't have happened.

And if you follow the links down a level, there are people expressing their condolences, offering to help, etc. to that friend on her own page. If it isn't real, then I believe it was a fake that had been going for a while.

JeeberD

12-28-2005, 09:28 AM

I'm pretty sure it was real. I've seen college athletes with all sorts of crazy stuff on their MySpace account. Remember the NBA (I think) draft pick that got all sorts of grief for what was on his last year?

GrantDawg

01-05-2006, 05:24 PM

Dungy's son hung himself

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published on: 01/05/06

Tampa, Fla. — The son of Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy used a belt to hang himself from a ceiling fan, according to the 911 call the teen's girlfriend made when she found him last month.

Antoinette Anderson returned to James Dungy's apartment after a 10-minute walk early Dec. 22 to find him apparently lifeless, according to tapes released Wednesday. The tape is the first public indication how James Dungy, 18, apparently killed himself.

"I think my boyfriend's dead," an anguished Anderson told an emergency dispatcher. "I think he tried to hang himself or something."

She told the dispatcher she had used a knife to cut James Dungy down. She told the dispatcher that Dungy's roommate was asleep in another room.

"Get the roommate up," the dispatcher told Anderson. "You're gonna need some help here, OK?"

Anderson is then heard telling the roommate, whose name has not been released, "I think he's dead, like for real. And I'm on the phone with 911."

The two tell the dispatcher Dungy isn't moving. The dispatcher tells them how to perform CPR as Anderson cried.

"Force two deep breaths of air into the lungs just like you're blowing up a big balloon," the dispatcher said. "Did you do that?"

"Yes," Anderson said. "I just don't think he's alive."

"Did you feel air going in?" the dispatcher asked.

Anderson replied, "No. No."

A Hillsborough County sheriff's deputy soon arrived and took over the CPR. A paramedic crew took Dungy to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The local medical examiner has called the death an apparent suicide, but has refused to give an exact cause pending results of toxicological tests that should be ready in about a month.

On. Oct. 21, James Dungy was treated after overdosing on painkillers. Then, he calmly told a 911 dispatcher he "was just being stupid" and had taken about 18 pills. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

James Dungy had moved back to the Tampa area from Indianapolis last year to attend college. His father had coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001.

Tony Dungy missed one game after his son's death, returning to the Colts' sideline last Sunday. The Colts, the top seed in the AFC, open the playoffs Jan. 15 in Indianapolis.

Easy Mac

01-05-2006, 09:21 PM

Why did they have so much difficulty determining the cause of death earlier, or was it just a respect thing on the police's part?

Mustang

01-05-2006, 09:26 PM

Why did they have so much difficulty determining the cause of death earlier, or was it just a respect thing on the police's part?

Probably more of a case of you have a 2 other parties around the body so, you want to eliminate any possibility of wrongdoing or foul play. Just doing their job....

JonInMiddleGA

01-05-2006, 09:27 PM

Okay, is it just me or does this sequence just sound sort of ... strange?

She told the dispatcher she had used a knife to cut James Dungy down. She told the dispatcher that Dungy's roommate was asleep in another room.

"Get the roommate up," the dispatcher told Anderson. "You're gonna need some help here, OK?"

Anderson is then heard telling the roommate, whose name has not been released, "I think he's dead, like for real. And I'm on the phone with 911."

I mean, she's cut the body down by herself, called 911 ... but hasn't woke the roomie yet? And he wasn't exactly a little guy IIRC, how did she get him down alone? Just cut the belt & let him ker-thump to the floor? I don't mean to be gory, or silly, or disrespectful or anything else, I'm just trying to picture that whole scene & it doesn't seem to add up quite right somehow. Anybody else get that vibe or am I just overly suspicious?

oliegirl

01-05-2006, 09:30 PM

Okay, is it just me or does this sequence just sound sort of ... strange?

I mean, she's cut the body down by herself, called 911 ... but hasn't woke the roomie yet? And he wasn't exactly a little guy IIRC, how did she get him down alone? Just cut the belt & let him ker-thump to the floor? I don't mean to be gory, or silly, or disrespectful or anything else, I'm just trying to picture that whole scene & it doesn't seem to add up quite right somehow. Anybody else get that vibe or am I just overly suspicious?

Maybe the fan was over a bed (ours is), or she was able to move a chair under it so he didn't have as far to fall? I thought the same thing, but since we don't know how large the apt. was we have no way to know why the roomie didn't wake up or she didn't go wake him up right away. If I found someone like that, I think my first instinct would be to go get help...but if it actually happened my first reaction might be to ge them down and see if I could do something without taking the time to go get someone else...that minute or two could mean the difference between life and death.

Easy Mac

01-05-2006, 09:45 PM

While some sort of conspiracy isn't out of the question, I would say it is more likely that there is just sloppy reporting occurring.

MizzouRah

01-05-2006, 09:55 PM

Truely sad.

GrantDawg

01-05-2006, 10:36 PM

Ragone

01-06-2006, 03:14 AM

honestly.. i think this is information that never really needed to be released

GrantDawg

01-06-2006, 11:08 AM

honestly.. i think this is information that never really needed to be released

Why? It would be in any other suicide.

Ragone

01-06-2006, 03:58 PM

Why? It would be in any other suicide.

and thats the way i feel about all suicides.. do friends and family really need to live through the experience multiple times.. besides that.. if one of us was to commit suicide.. do you really think there would be a long article about how we did it in the local paper?

GrantDawg

01-06-2006, 11:33 PM

JonInMiddleGA

01-06-2006, 11:55 PM

and thats the way i feel about all suicides.. do friends and family really need to live through the experience multiple times.. besides that.. if one of us was to commit suicide.. do you really think there would be a long article about how we did it in the local paper?

You do realize that the main reason that information like this was made public record was (AFAIK) as a safeguard against people being "officially disappeared" & the like? In other words, it's part of the public record in order to provide some reassurance that the person was really a suicide & not a homicide that was being covered up.

As for whether it would be covered & in what detail, it would depend on a number of factors, including whether or not the person involved was a public figure.