A GoFundMe for his young son, Parker, surpasses $600,000 after the reporter, who covered the Chicago Bears for two decades, passed away two years following his wife's death.
- December 30, 2021
AceShowbiz - Jeff Dickerson has passed away. The ESPN reporter passed away on Tuesday, December 28 from colon cancer complications at the age of 44. He died two years after his wife's passing, leaving their 11-year-old son orphaned.
"JD was one of the most positive people you will ever meet," Heather Burns, ESPN deputy editor for digital NFL coverage, said in a statement on Wednesday. "We all got together in October for an event, and there he was lifting our spirits and assuring us he was going to beat cancer." Heather continued remembering him, "That's just who he was. We are holding Jeff's family, and especially his son, Parker Dickerson, in our prayers."
Jeff's death arrived two years after the passing of his wife Caitlin, who battled melanoma complications for eight years, according to Kevin Seifert, ESPN staff writer. Both Jeff and Caitlin died at the same hospice care facility.
A GoFundMe called "Parker's Fund" for their son, Parker, has already raised over $600,000. Donations made to the fund will also benefit ESPN's cancer research organization, The V Foundation, as his sister-in-law, Jen Etlin Hobin, said on the page.
"Early this year, Jeff was delivered the devastating news that he was diagnosed with colon cancer," Jen wrote in the note on the fundraising site. "Typical JD, he remained completely optimistic for a full recovery, especially to be there for Parker. Jeff was, unfortunately, playing the roll [sic] of both parents as just two years ago, Caitlin lost her struggle with an extremely rare form of cancer, leaving then eight-year-old Parker with Jeff his only parent."
Jen continued, "Without Caitlin, Jeff has done all he could to support Parker, especially his passion for athletics." She further stated, "[Undoubtedly] you could hear the pride in JD's voice when he talked about Parker's achievements at such a young age."
During Caitlin's cancer battle, Jeff took time off from ESPN to care for her and Parker. After she lost her longtime battle with melanoma complications, Jeff hosted a radio telethon to raise money for cancer research.
