After the tragic loss of center Jason Bitsko, Kent State athletic director Joel Nielsen said, “We are heartbroken by the news of Jason’s death. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, teammates and everyone whose lives he touched.”
Bitsko was found unresponsive and passed away Wednesday.
The senior will provide inspiration for his team this season, and the Golden Flashes will honor him every time they take the field.Kent State players to wear No. 54 on their helmets this season to honor senior center Jason Bitsko, who died Wednesday.
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) August 21, 2014
Kent State head coach Paul Haynes spoke of Bitsko Thursday and what he meant to everyone.
“Jason Bitsko was not just a Golden Flash, he was a son, he was a brother, he was a mentor, he was a friend,” Haynes told the Akron Plain Dealer’s August Fagerstrom.
Despite the loss of their son, Bitsko’s family found a way to make someone else’s life better.
Haynes and his wife visited Bitsko’s family at the hospital yesterday. The father wanted to make sure Jason’s scholarship went to a walk-on.
— August Fagerstrom (@AugustF_ABJ) August 21, 2014(Photo credit: Kent State athletics)