PALACIOS – The tight-knit Tidehaven community is reeling after the sudden death of Ricky Rubio, a 2024 graduate and beloved member of the Tigers varsity football team, who passed away this weekend at the age of 20.
School officials confirmed the heartbreaking news Monday morning, though the cause of death has not been publicly released out of respect for the family’s privacy.
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Rubio, who wore jersey #22 for the Tigers, was remembered by coaches and teammates as the heartbeat of the program: a fierce competitor on Friday nights and an even better person in the locker room and hallways.
“Ricky played the game the right way and treated people the right way,” said head football coach David Huseman. “He’d be the first one to pick a teammate up and the last one cracking jokes on the bus ride home. Losing him leaves a hole that can’t be filled.”
Classmates flooded social media with tributes, sharing photos of Rubio celebrating touchdowns, posing with friends at graduation, and flashing his trademark wide smile. The phrase “Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger” has trended locally alongside #RickyStrong.
The Tidehaven Athletic Booster Club released a statement saying, in part: “Our field will never feel the same without Ricky running across it, but his spirit will be with us on every snap.”
Counselors were made available at Tidehaven High School and Intermediate campuses throughout the day Monday, and a school holiday turned into an impromptu day of grief support. A candlelight vigil is being planned for later this week on the football field where Rubio made so many memories.
Principal Kelly Fox told parents in an email, “Please keep the Rubio family wrapped in your thoughts and prayers. We lost one of our own, and the pain is immeasurable.”
Funeral arrangements are pending. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to the Tidehaven Athletic Department in Ricky’s name.
The Tigers’ season may be over, but for Tidehaven, #22 will forever be in the lineup.