Former University of Washington defensive end Voi Tunuufi has been identified as the victim of a fatal car crash in his hometown of West Jordan, Utah.
The 23-year-old was driving an SUV around 11:15pm on Sunday when he somehow collided with a commercial vehicle and a pickup truck, although the exact details of the crash remain unclear.
Tunuufi was rushed to the hospital, where he later died, according to KSL.com.
‘Voi was a hardworking, passionate and dedicated member of this football program,’ Jedd Fisch, Tunuufi’s last coach at Washington, said in a statement to The Seattle Times. ‘He was universally beloved and respected by his teammates and coaches, and the outpouring of love and support following his passing is proof of the impact he made here.’
Prior to playing for Fisch, Tunuufi was a key player for Kalen DeBoer’s 2023 Huskies that advanced to the College Football Championship against Michigan, where they ultimately fell to the Wolverines.
Tunuufi was a contributor for Washington throughout his time in Seattle.
Ex-Washington defensive end Voi Tunuufi has been identified as the victim in the fatal crash
Tunuufi was a key player on the 2023 Huskies that advanced to the College Football Championship against Michigan, where they ultimately fell to the Wolverines
Appearing in 52 games for the Huskies over four seasons, the 275-pound run stuffer recorded 86 tackles, 12.5 sacks and one forced fumble despite being only around 6ft in height.
‘When he was on that field, he played with more effort than anyone else,’ Faatui Tuitele, a Huskies teammate, told the Seattle Times. ‘Voi is the definition of heart over height. I’m going to miss him dearly.’
A GoFundMe page has been launched for Tunuufi’s family as they face funeral arrangements and other costs. As of late Friday, more than $40,000 of the $55,000 goal had been raised.
His sister remembered Voi as ‘the goofy guy, the one with the contagious laughter,’ and someone who ‘was always willing to go without so that someone else was on top.
‘He never would shy away from any opportunity to serve those of his village,’ she continued. ‘He was always going above and beyond, always giving & making sure people were included.’
