Former Eagles fullback Kevin Turner – the first Eagles jersey I ever had – has passed away after a long battle with ALS. He played for the Eagles from 1995 to 1999.

Turner was diagnosed with the disease in 2010, and according to AL.com, he was “placed on hospice two days ago, and was surrounded by friends and family” when he passed. “He will be missed so much,” his father said in a message posted to Facebook. “Thank everyone so very much over this journey we have had for all your support, prayers. He was ready to go to Heaven, excited he said.”

Turner had been active in research that linked CTE to the development of ALS, and he pledged to donate his brain and spinal cord for research when he died. He was 46 years old.