A 10-time national champion and former Louisville Cardinals cheerleader was found dead over the weekend at just 30-years-old.
Eric Ortiz died unexpectedly from unknown causes, according to family members and former teammates.
Ortiz was recognized within the cheer community as one of the best in the business, racking up two world championship titles in addition to the ten national wins he and his team claimed.
Eric’s obituary says that he died on October 22 and that his memorial and funeral services will be held in The Bronx, his hometown, Thursday and Friday.
“As we all face this moment of darkness together, we will remember that we are not alone. We still have each other and our memories of you. We will miss you terribly but know you would want us to live our best life.”
GymTime All Stars shared the news of his death with their thousands of followers Monday in a tribute to the ‘captivating’ and ‘genuine’ athlete and friend.
Eric’s brother, Richie, was one of the first to share the news of the cheerleader’s death.
On Saturday, he posted a series of photos on Instagram dating back years to when the two were toddlers.
“My heart is truly broken. How can such an amazing person be taken away from us?! Why?! Eric, I love you and I miss you so much. I can’t even believe I’m writing this. This one hurts,” Richie wrote.
On Sunday, he followed his Instagram post up with a message on Twitter, saying: “I just want my brother back.”
Cheer Updates, a news site devoted to cheerleading news, also posted about Eric’s death, remembering him for an ‘iconic’ moment from a 2015 championship.
