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Jordan Hankins: 19-Year-Old College Basketball Player Hanged Herself In Her Dorm Room

By Tito Ojo-Medubi
Published on: 03:25 PST, Jan 12, 2017

A 19-year-old player of the Northwestern women’s basketball team hanged herself in her dorm room. Jordan Hankins, a sophomore from Indianapolis was found dead Monday afternoon, according to the Indy Star. Hankins was a student at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at the time of her death. Her death was deemed a suicide by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office

Her brother, Jared Hankins took to Twitter shortly after learning about her death to post a tribute to his sister. The 15-year-old revealed that he now needed to succeed in the game more than ever before in honor of his departed sister. Jordan

“I know you’re in a better place now. I have to make it somewhere in basketball now no questions asked.”

Jared, also a sophomore with the Lawrence North boys high school basketball team, revealed to the New York Daily News that he talked to his sister about a week ago and “everything seemed good…she was happy.” Jared who described his only sibling as his “role model” had also gone to watch his sister’s game along with his parents, Walter and Felicia Hankins last week.

Jordan and Jared were close. The siblings loved to go head-to-head in the family backyard, pushing themselves to be better. Jordan loved her younger brother and had wished him the best in his game against Warren Central. She had posted on his Twitter page, encouraging him to stay humble and hungry. It was her final post before she took her life.

The coach of the girl’s team, Chris Giffin was devastated at the news that Hankins had taken her life. He revealed that besides her basketball skills, the 19-year-old also was doing well in the classroom. He added that she had a big heart and was always willing to lend a helping hand to students with special needs.

“She was a multi-faceted, compassionate and extremely talented young woman. She was a wonderful student athlete and leader. Jordan had a huge heart and will be missed.”

The women’s basketball coach, Joe McKeown said the 19-year-old brought a level of intensity and commitment to everything she did in life, adding that her death was a painful loss to the entire community. The Northwestern game against Minnesota meant to hold Wednesday has been postponed in the wake of her death.

Hankins was a 5-foot-8 guard who was recruited into Evanston from Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis. The 19-year-old received an All-State Honorable Mention in 2013 and 2014 with the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association/Subway Underclass. Her team was already 11 games into the season, and Hankins was averaging 3.6 points per game. In a statement, released by the university they made known there was no indication of foul play or “any danger or threat to other members of the Northwestern community.”

Jordan Hankins is not the first college basketball player to die prematurely. In 2016, Rashee Hodges, a Benedict College basketball player was killed as he stood on the side of a roadway at 1:20 a.m. The 22-year-old started college at the University of South Carolina- Salkehatchie before getting an opportunity to complete his business degree in Columbia.

Hodges had dreamt endlessly of playing in the NBA or a team abroad but was leaving nothing to chance as he worked tirelessly to pass his subjects with flying colors. His father, Lamonte Hodges said that his son idolized Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. His father added that he was close to his family and was driven to do right by everyone around him.

Yalonda Lewis turned herself in two days later and was charged with hit and run involving death. An attorney for the family revealed that the Hodges had forgiven the 31-year-old responsible for Rashee’s death and were leaning on Christ for strength through the difficult period.

“The family is holding up the best they can under these very difficult circumstances. But this is a family that’s based in religion…father is a pastor of a church and mother the First Lady of a church. They have strong, spiritual beliefs, and they are leaning on Christ in this most difficult time.”

[Featured Image by Atreides64/iStockPhoto]

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