The DePaul University sophomore “passed away unexpectedly” on Monday, May 2, in his dorm hall residence on the school’s campus.

Chase Stegall, the son of former NFL player Milton Stegall, has died. He was 20. 

On Monday, June 2, Chase died “unexpectedly” in his dorm on DePaul University’s campus in Chicago, the school confirmed in a post online. He had been a sophomore and member of the school’s men’s soccer team, the Blue Demons. A cause of death has not been released. 

According to the post, DePaul President Rob Manuel emailed faculty and students to inform them of Chase’s death. He described Chase as a “vibrant presence” known for his warmth.  

“His loss is deeply felt by his teammates, coaches, classmates, faculty, staff, and all who knew him. We extend our heartfelt prayers and deepest sympathies to Chase’s family, friends, and loved ones,” Manuel said. 

DePaul vice president and director of athletics, DeWayne Peevy, and men’s soccer head coach, Mark Plotkin, released a joint statement on X on behalf of DePaul Athletics stating that they were “heartbroken” by the sudden loss of Chase who was a “cherished” member of their community and a “dedicated teammate and kind-hearted friend.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Chase’s family, friends, teammates and all who loved him,” said the athletic director and vice president. “His loss will be deeply felt across our entire Athletics and university family and his memory will forever be a part of DePaul University.” 

Hailing from Atlanta, the sophomore midfielder for the Blue Demons was one of Milton Stegall’s two sons, the Winnipeg Sun reported. The 55-year-old football player, who had a 14-year-long career on the field for the NFL and the Canadian Football League, retired in 2009. He was inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame in 2012. 

The Winnipeg Sun also reported that Chase experienced a seizure in his freshman year at DePaul and wrote about how the experience and the school’s response reaffirmed he’d chosen the right school. 

“The DePaul community has meant everything to me, and reminded me every day that I’m living my dream,” he wrote. 

Since the tragedy was announced, condolences have been pouring in online, including from his father’s former teammates. 

Fellow Hall of Famer Doug Brown called it an “unimaginable tragedy” in a post on X. 

The CFL wrote that the CFL community “mourns the tragic passing of Chase Stegall, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the Stegall family and all those whose lives were touched by this remarkable young man.”

Meanwhile, Farhan Lalji, a broadcaster for the Sports Network, said in a post, “Just gut-wrenching news. Milt & I shared many conversations about Chase while he was being recruited & I remember how proud he was when he accepted his [soccer] scholarship to DePaul. My thoughts & prayers go out to my teammate and his family.”

Details surrounding a memorial or service are forthcoming.