Former Alabama running back Ahmed Galloway was found dead in his St. Louis apartment on Monday, According to WVTM13.
Galloway, 42, was an eighth-grade teacher at Compton Drew Middle School in St. Louis where the principal, Susan Reed, said he was found deceased during a welfare check.
“Ahmed was always on time, very responsible. So, we knew something might be wrong,” Reid told WVTM13. “There was no disturbance in Ahmed’s apartment, so we think it could be a medical problem.”
The cause of death was not determined Galloway, who played for the Crimson Tide from 1999 to 2002, and finished with 1,830 yards and 17 touchdowns.
“The medical examiner is working to find out how Ahmed died,” Reid said. “The family gets together from different parts of the country before deciding on the funeral arrangements.”
Galloway primarily served as a backup to NFL MVP Shawn Alexander in his time in Tuscaloosa. Selected by the Broncos in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft, he sat out his rookie season while rehabilitating a knee injury he sustained in his senior year at Alabama.
“When Ahmed arrived in Bama, he was humble, but mature beyond his years,” Grif Redmell, a former Crimson Tide offensive lineman, told WCTM13. “He was so mature and sociable – I knew right away he was someone who could be my friend for life.”
Upon his return to the field, Galloway played in the NFL in Europe with the Scottish Claymores, before spending a season with the San Diego Chargers. The last time he played for Frankfurt Galaxy was in 2005.
Galloway entered high school coaching in 2010. He is survived by two children, Austin and Aubrey.
“Ahmed was always quiet and down-to-earth,” Galloway’s sister, Kimberly Slaughter, said. “My brother loved football growing up and his two later sons, Austin and Aubrey.”
The door to Galloway’s classroom at the school will be closed out of respect, Reid said, adding that students will paint signs and banners in his memory. Compton-Drew Middle School students receive counseling.
“Alcohol enthusiast. Twitter ninja. Tv lover. Falls down a lot. Hipster-friendly coffee geek.”