NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- As he stood near the casket of late New England Patriots and LSU teammate Marquise Hill, defensive lineman Jarvis Green swallowed hard, took some deep breaths and offered a few fond memories to Hill's grieving relatives.
"He made everybody laugh," Green said. "The first time I met him he made me laugh and the last time I talked to him he made me laugh. He worked hard. He gave his all. ... That's the kind of person he was."
Hill, a 24-year-old father of a 2-year-old son, was buried on Saturday, nearly a week after his death in a personal watercraft accident on Lake Pontchartrain.
The former LSU defensive end, who won a national championship with the Tigers in 2003, had yet to see regular playing time in three seasons with the Patriots. Yet he had won the hearts of numerous college and pro teammates who remembered him as a strong, caring and vibrant man who improved the lives of those who knew him.
Virtually the entire Patriots team, including coach Bill Belichick and his assistants, attended his wake on Friday night. Alabama coach Nick Saban, who had coached Hill at LSU, also was there.
Hill Honored by Former LSU, NFL Teammates at Funeral - LSUsports.net—The Official Web Site of LSU Tigers Athletics