Sources: Renowned MMA trainer Shawn Tompkins dead at 37

A fighter close to Shawn Tompkins says the renowned trainer passed away this morning.

Veteran lightweight John Gunderson today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Tompkins "didn't wake up," but he was still unclear on the details surrounding his passing.

Longtime friend and confidant Chris Horodecki said the trainer was in Canada and had spoken to him yesterday but was unaware of the bad news when contacted today.

Additional sources ultimately confirmed the trainer's death with MMAjunkie.com, though details weren't immediately available.

Tompkins first emerged on the national MMA scene as a coach in the now-defunct International Fight League. He was first an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Anacondas and was later promoted to head coach after MMA legend Bas Rutten stepped down from the role to assume a commentator position. He later split with the company.

Tompkins then migrated to Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas and served as a coach there before splitting with the gym and joining the TapouT Training Facility.

The coach, who also competed professionally for a handful of fights a decade ago, nurtured the careers of several notable fighters in his career, including Gunderson, Horodecki, Sam Stout and Mark Hominick. Tompkins, who frequently appeared on MMAjunkie.com Radio, was 37 years old.

R.I.P.

Wow, that really sucks to hear.

RIP I wonder what happened?

sorry to hear the news, RIP

Bas said on the sad scenario through Twitter where he wrote, “This is a really sad day. Shawn Tompkins was one of my best friends. He passed way too early leaving his beautiful wife Emile, family and friends behind. He’s gonna be missed. He texted me yesterday evening telling me he loved me, so, thank God, I called him to tell him it was mutual. Godspeed my friend, I’m gonna miss you a lot!”



I'm just speculating but how I read that is possible suicide, hope I'm wrong.

WOW that's heavy

http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/08/14/famed-mma-trainer-shawn-tompkins-dead-at-37/

Tompkins' wife Emilie was in Las Vegas, where the couple lived.

Late Sunday night, she released a statement on her husband's passing. It read:

"Team Tompkins thanks everyone for all of the condolences that have come in since the tragic news of 'The Coach's' death. Shawn would be touched beyond words by the outpouring of love from the MMA community. Sam Stout, Chris Horodecki, Mark Hominick, Kekoa Quipolta, Mr. and Mrs. Tompkins and I thank you for the respect you have shown us during this trying time. Shawn loved MMA and he considered all of you family. We will miss our Coach very much."

http://www.cagepotato.com/autopsy-reveals-shawn-tompkins-died-of-a-heart-attack/

Quote :

According to Shawn Tompkins’ brother-in-law and longtime friend and fighter Sam Stout, the revered Ingersoll, Ontario-born trainer died from a heart attack.

Stout revealed the tragic news to the London Free Press on Tuesday.

“I don’t know what to say,” Stout said. “It’s not supposed to be happen to a healthy 37-year-old person. Who would think he had to get checked out for that?”

Tompkins went to bed at a friend’s house following an MMA event in Hamilton, Ontario Saturday night and did not wake up. News of the affable 37-year-old’s passing sent shockwaves through the close-knit MMA community and cast a cloud over Sunday night’s UFC Live on Versus 5 event after UFC commentator Mike Goldberg announced the tragedy during the broadcast.

Funeral arrangements are being made today. Stout’s sister and Tompkins’ widow, Emilie arrived in London last night and will be making funeral arrangements for her husband today with the help of her supportive family.

A memorial is being planned for Tompkins in his adopted hometown of Las Vega, Nevada where he lived for the past four years and trained and coached some of MMA’s best fighters including Randy Couture, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Mark Coleman, Gray Maynard, Jay Hieron and Karo Parisyan at Xtreme Couture and TapouT Training Center. A proud Canadian, Tompkins told me in an interview just over a week ago that he moved to the U.S. to help his core team of Stout, Mark Hominick and Chris Horodecki by expanding the depth of their pool of talented training partners and to spread the teachings he adopted from his mentor, Bas Rutten’s system.

A memorial guestbook has been established for fans and friends wishing to express their sympathies to Shawn’s Team Tompkins family.

Tompkins’ manager Gary Ibarra from AMR Group has set up The Shawn Tompkins Memorial Fund, which is currently accepting contributions to assist Emilie with funeral and burial costs.

“Shawn was more than a client,” Ibarra stated via press release. “His passion and vision for MMA was infectious, evident by how he could motivate his fighters to become better athletes and people.On behalf of AMR Group’s athletes and staff, we extend our deepest sympathies to Emilie, Sam and Shawn’s entire family. His spirit will live on in our hearts.”

To contribute to Tompkins’ memorial fund, send an email to TeamTompkins@ShogunMMA.com. Details of the memorial service will be announced in the coming days at AMRGroup.tv.

Was just going to post that.

yeah its sad, only 37

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