Earlier this week, former Vandal football offensive lineman Bilal Liggins passed away suddenly in Seattle, leaving behind his wife and two young children.
Liggins was described as a joyous and passionate individual, a gracious and loving soul who treated everyone around him as an equal.
Liggins loved God, football and his family, including his family at UI, his father Idris Crosson said.
A friend and former teammate, Adam Juratovac, first heard the news of his friend’s passing during a conference call at work. Juratovac said he then canceled all calls for the rest of the day and got onto TikTok launching a GoFundMe campaign for his friend’s family.
On his TikTok, Juratovac shared a photo from their days in Idaho football, from a historic game in which they were both on the offensive line.
It was the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl. More than 3 million viewers had tuned in on ESPN to Boise’s Bronco Stadium. The Vandals were behind in the fourth quarter, 42-35, with just 32 seconds left against the Bowling Green. The Vandals drove it downfield, with eight seconds left, and a pass to Max Komar in the end zone brought them all the closer to a win, 42-41.
With no time to spare, the Vandals made the two-point conversion and won 43-42, sending more than 25,000 Vandal fans in the arena into a frenzy.
“Vandals stormed the field all around us,” Juratovac said. “And that’s the best I’ve ever seen the blue turf.”
As Juratovac ran and waved a Vandals’ flag around the arena, a picture was taken, and below the flag stood Liggins just embracing the moment, Juratovac said.
Crosson said Liggins had always dreamed of playing D1 football. When he met his goals and played football for UI, it was an exhilarating time.
“What made it all so exciting was that he made it exciting for everybody around him,” Crosson said.
Watching his son grow, Crosson said every memory of him is fond, just because of his son’s enthusiasm and love for life.
Crosson said on the day he passed, Liggins had woken up to take his child to school and began to feel ill. He collapsed in his home, suffering a pulmonary embolism. Liggins was 32.
The GoFundMe for Liggins’ family has reached $8,750 of the $10,000 goal as of Sept. 18.
“If you have some spare cash, if you want to skip out on a latte this week, any bit helps,” Juratovac said on his TikTok.
Cody Roberts can be reached [email protected] or on Twitter @CodyRobReports
Adam S. Juratovac, Esq.
Thank you for the thoughtful piece. Thank you UI Argonaut and Cody Roberts.