Tragedy struck in Baton Rouge, La., with the unexpected death of 29-year-old Mendel Esnault early Sunday morning. He leaves behind a girlfriend, two daughters and two younger brothers, plus his mother, Rita, who has battled cancer since 2013. Due to Rita's ongoing fight, Esnault was his family sole provider, and now he is gone.
One of his younger brothers happens to be Nick Broxsette, a Baton Rouge native who signed with LSU as a running back in February. In the hours since Esnault's passing, the Baton Rouge and LSU communities have come together to help a family in need. A high school coach reached out to us and said, "I was with the family Sunday after (Esnault) passed. Les Miles is a stud. He was at the house from morning to night, personally packing boxes, loading trailers and sweeping floors helping us get the family moved."
LSU has established the Brossette Family Fund to cover essential living expenses, which is allowable under NCAA rules as long as all contributions go through the Tiger Athletic Foundation.
LSU did not reach out to us and ask for us to promote them - trust us, they don't need it. A high school coach close to Brossette and his family felt moved to ask us to spread the word and help a family in need, and the least we could do was oblige.