John Elway said he’s “devastated and heartbroken” over the death of his longtime friend and agent Jeff Sperbeck.
Sperbeck, 62, had been on life support after he fell off a golf cart being driven by Elway, TMZ reported, and suffered a traumatic brain injury, before succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday.
“There are no words to truly express the profound sadness I feel with the sudden loss of someone who has meant so much to me,” Elway said in a statement on Wednesday night. “My heart and deepest sympathies go out to Jeff’s wife, Cori; his children Carly, Sam and Jackson; and everyone who knew and loved him. Jeff will be deeply missed for the loyalty, wisdom, friendship and love he brought into my life and the lives of so many others.”
Former American Footballer, John Elway walks on the 10th hole during day four of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2024 at the Old Course at St Andrews on October 06, 2024 in St Andrews, Scotland. Getty Images
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday at The Madison Club, a private golf community, in La Quinta, California.
Sperbeck was pronounced dead on Wednesday, a little after 1 a.m. at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California.
The agent’s wife, Cori, and his family described him as a “wonderful father, husband, brother, son and friend” who “will be profoundly missed by all” in a statement released on Wednesday night.
Jeff Sperbeck on the field in an image posted to social media in 2016. Jeff Sperbeck/Facebook
“We are grieving this unimaginable loss as a family alongside our dearest friends the [Elways] and the many other clients Jeff called friends. We are grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of support that we have received and ask for privacy for our family at this difficult time,” the statement continued.
Elway, Sperbeck, their wives and Elway’s son were coming back from a party following the Stagecoach music festival, TMZ reported.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation into the incident after being made aware of it on Monday.
Jeff Sperbeck (right) poses with John Elway to celebrate Elways Preserve Wine in an image posted to social media in 2015. Jeff Sperbeck/Facebook
“The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is committed to conducting a thorough investigation into the death of Sperbeck and will take appropriate action based on the outcome,” the department said in a press release.
A witness described the gut-wrenching scene in an interview with KESQ on Tuesday.
The witness, Ali Simon, told the outlet that she saw Sperbeck lying on the ground as people surrounded him to check on how he was doing.
“It was so scary. It was like nothing we’ve ever seen,” Simon said. “You just don’t think you’re going to ever witness anything like that. His wife was hysterical.”
Simon said she saw Elway on the phone “trying to call 911, call anyone.”
