Football Provides ‘Distraction From Despair’ For Zion Tupuola-Fetui

First Round Mock’s Victoria Jonach writes a touching article about Washington linebacker Zion Tupuola-Fetui and the subject of grief, which is something we have all dealt with or will deal with at some point.

Up until this past November, Washington Huskies’ linebacker, Zion Tupuola-Fetui always received a pregame text from his father, Molia Fetui. The two had inside jokes like Zion’s nickname, “Sackman” and were a very close duo.

However, after the Huskies’ win against Stanford on October 28, Fetui had to get used to no more pregame texts from his dad. 

Heartbreaking news

After the game, Tupuola-Fetui checked his phone to find a text message from his mom, asking him to call her. Before the game, his dad Molia had laid down to rest and passed away in his sleep. He was only 58 years old.

“I knew he was sick, kind of in and out of the hospital at times. He didn’t have a lot of energy- I think he would do things for like an hour or two before he had to really sit down for a while. But I didn’t realize how bad it was even then,” Tupuola-Fetui said to ESPN.

Tupuola-Fetui grieved for a short time but once he was done crying, he said he heard his dad saying, “‘All right, just go back to work.’ [It was] always ‘go back to work’ with him,” he shared in the same interview.

Back to business

Zion was back on the field the next week for the Huskies’ game against USC. 

He said he wasn’t sure if he even wanted to play. The linebacker was called for an offsides penalty and shared his concern that he was hurting the team by playing. However, later, he knocked the ball out of USC quarterback Caleb Williams’ hands. The play resulted in a recovery by Washington, a play that changed the course of the game.

“All I could think about was my dad, and then all I could think about was how he wanted a sack-fumble. I was thankful I was able to do that for him, and for myself as well,” Fetui said to ESPN.

The best support system

“This week was really hard, but I knew my dad would want me to play. He loves this game. He loves UW. And I knew I would just be doing him wrong if I didn’t play,” Tupuola-Fetui shared with 93.3 KJR’s Dave Mahler while in tears after the game.

“I just saw him finishing up an interview and breaking down as it was ending. I just wanted to make sure he knew how much he was loved by this team,” DeBoer said to ESPN.

“For a second, I didn’t have to be tough about it. I was able to just cry in his arms,” the linebacker said in the same interview. A video of the encounter can be found here.

In the time between his father’s death and now, Tupuola-Fetui says his teammates have had his back. According to AP, they made sure that he was covered the week after his father’s passing. They spent lots of time with him and ensured that he didn’t have to worry about meals. 

“I just remember seeing him break down in tears and all we could really do is just gather up around him, hug him up, [and] show him that we love him [and] we’re there for him,” teammate Bralen Trice said to ESPN.

Paying tribute to his father

Zion was out there just one month after his father’s passing at the Huskies’ Senior Day on Saturday. He held framed photographs of his family, shed tears, and shared a hug with his mom, Tammy, before his game.

“It’s hard, but [I] feel [my] husband’s presence and pride,” Tammy shared. That day would have not only been one month since he had passed but also her and her husband’s 26th wedding anniversary. 

Tupuola-Fetui is undoubtedly making his father proud with his latest accomplishments. Hopefully, he will continue to do justice to his father’s legacy.

“I want to continue to just live my life for him,” Zion said to ESPN. “We just gotta keep showing up, even when you don’t want to. Do it for Dad.”

Victoria Jonach is an aspiring writer and media analyst fascinated by what kinds of activities players participate in off the football field. Growing up in New Jersey, she is a New York Giants fan and attends Rutgers University, pursuing a career in Journalism and Media Studies. She writes for FirstRoundMock.com covering anticipated draft picks and their acts of volunteerism, entrepreneurship, and other interests that shape these individuals.