Editor’s note: This article addresses the topic of suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing distress or in crisis, support is available. Please call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Eight years after Rashaan Salaam’s untimely death, his girlfriend still grapples with the grief of his passing.

“Not a single day passes without me feeling that loss,” said Shelley Martin, Salaam’s girlfriend. She hopes that the 30^th anniversary of his Heisman Trophy victory will rekindle interest in his legacy, especially with the possibility of two-way star Travis Hunter winning Colorado’s first Heisman Trophy since Salaam’s win on December 10, 1994.

“He was such a wonderful person,” Martin remarked in a recent interview with YSL News Sports. “It’s crucial to talk about mental health and the impact of concussions. This is very real; I witnessed it firsthand.”

This period often prompts reflection for Salaam’s loved ones. He passed away on December 5, 2016, at the age of 42. The Heisman Trophy ceremony usually follows shortly after his passing each year. This time, however, it’s especially significant for them. Should Hunter claim the award on Saturday, they hope it will elevate awareness about Colorado’s first Heisman Trophy winner and promote suicide prevention efforts while honoring who Salaam was as an individual.

In many respects, Salaam was reminiscent of Hunter—a talented football player with a modest demeanor and a captivating smile who preferred to share credit with his teammates.

“You may think you’re experiencing a rough day, but then memories of Rashaan’s smile resurface,” recalled former Colorado teammate Derek West during an interview this week. “It brings joy and helps lift you from any negativity. I find myself smiling just thinking about it.”

Could Colorado Celebrate Two Heisman Trophies, Thirty Years Apart?

Every year, two Heisman Trophies are awarded—one to the college football player and the other to the player’s university. Colorado proudly displays Salaam’s 1994 Heisman Trophy in a hallway that Travis Hunter has traversed multiple times in the last three decades.

As per BetMGM, Hunter is the favorite to clinch another Heisman for Colorado this Saturday.

Salaam earned the award with remarkable stats, rushing for 2,055 yards and scoring 24 touchdowns during an unforgettable 11-1 season that placed the Buffaloes as the third-best team in the nation. However, he was hesitant about the accolade and often credited his offensive line for his achievements. Of the 11 starters from that team, 10 went on to be drafted into the NFL, including Salaam, along with all five offensive linemen, quarterback Kordell Stewart, and receiver Michael Westbrook.

“He was the ultimate team player, and we could all take a lesson from that,” said West, who served as one of Salaam’s blockers. He also played a part in carrying Salaam’s body to rest following his sudden death.

“If Travis is fortunate enough to win the Heisman, and this prompts any attention toward Rashaan’s legacy and raises awareness for suicide prevention, then that’s a significant win all around,” West expressed.

‘He Never Sought the Spotlight’

Stewart, who played quarterback alongside Salaam at CU, emphasized the need to celebrate how he lived and who he was, rather than focusing solely on his passing.

“He has left behind countless positive memories and a legacy that shouldn’t be overshadowed by that one tragic moment of his life,” Stewart told YSL News Sports this week. “He was an amazing person, and I cared for him deeply.”

Stewart described Salaam as a “little brother” whose quiet demeanor inspired those around him.

By that, he meant:

“He never desired the limelight,” said Stewart. “He simply wanted to be an integral part of the team.”

Salaam Gave Away His Heisman Trophy, Then Reclaimed It

The Heisman Trophy is celebrated as the foremost individual accolade in American sports, awarded to the premier college football player in the nation. However, Salaam had a different perspective.

Not fond of the attention that came with fame, he once referred to the Heisman as a form of burden weighing 45 pounds, filled with expectations he often felt overwhelmed by. After receiving it, he entrusted it to his mother, who kept it in their San Diego home for several years. He also bestowed his other accolades, such as the Walter Camp and Doak Walker awards he garnered in 1994 for being the nation’s best player and running back, to family members.

“He gave his trophies away, and he let me keep the Heisman,” his mother, Khalada, shared with YSL News Sports this week.

However, Salaam later requested his mother to return his Heisman to him in Colorado towards the end of his life. Following his passing, the family noted that the trophy had “disappeared” until it was auctioned in January 2018, fetching nearly $400,000.

‘Please Reach Out to Someone for Help’

The unfortunate ending of Salaam’s life isn’t the conclusion to his story—at least not if we ensure his memory endures and Some of Salaam’s friends and family have suggested that others could gain valuable insights from his experiences.

Before his passing, Salaam sold his Heisman Trophy, as stated by David Kohler, president of SCP Auctions in California. Following his death, the trophy was put up for auction again, with a portion of the funds being allocated for research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease associated with head injuries in football.

In 2016, Salaam’s brother, Jabali Alaji, shared with YSL News Sports that Salaam exhibited “all the symptoms” of CTE, such as depression. Whatever triggered it, his struggles, which were masked by his outward smile, intensified in early December 2016, just prior to the annual Heisman Trophy ceremony on December 10. He had no plans to attend the ceremony in New York.

“If anyone is feeling suicidal or in distress, I implore you to reach out for help,” Martin emphasized. “The pain of losing someone to suicide is devastating for those left behind. If someone has cancer or is in a serious accident, the grief is different. But losing someone to self-harm is an unbearable ache, one that doesn’t fade away.”

Another member of the 1993 Colorado team, wide receiver Charles E. Johnson, also died by suicide in North Carolina at the age of 50 in 2022.

Salaam’s mother has been instrumental in establishing The Rashaan Salaam Foundation, aimed at providing support for youth grappling with mental health difficulties. Although she hasn’t kept up with all of Hunter’s achievements this year at Colorado, she hopes the increased attention will benefit the foundation as people reflect on the legacy of the first Heisman Trophy winner from CU three decades ago.

“While it’s still new, we believe it has great potential to create positive impacts in Rashaan’s honor, which is very meaningful to us,” she expressed.

The Aftermath

Three decades after Salaam brought his Heisman trophy home from New York, its current location remains undisclosed. The buyer from the 2018 auction is a private sports memorabilia collector, as reported by the auction house.

In a coincidental twist, Salaam’s father, Sultan Salaam, passed away last year on the same date as his son, December 5, seven years prior. Previously known as Teddy Washington, he played for San Diego State under coach Don Coryell after spending a brief time as a freshman at Colorado in 1963.

“It’s incredible,” Salaam’s mother commented on this coincidence. “All of this is astonishing. If I let myself reflect, it feels like it was just yesterday. But I’m focused on doing something positive with it all since it’s a lot to process.”

Following his son’s death in 2016, Salaam’s father conveyed to YSL News Sports that the Heisman Trophy was merely a football accolade and did not encapsulate his son’s existence.

He expressed a desire for his son to be remembered as “a team player.”

“This signifies that together each achieves more,” he stated. “It’s not about individual success.”

‘A Celebration for Us All’

Hunter has reiterated this idea 30 years later. Although he couldn’t be reached for comments about Salaam, he shared in an email interview with YSL News Sports earlier this year that the Heisman represents “more than just a personal recognition.”

“It’s a collective honor and a celebration for everyone involved,” he articulated in the email.

Martin is also cheering for Hunter to become the second player in the school’s history to win the Heisman trophy.

“Certainly, those are large shoes to fill, and (Hunter) has truly excelled,” expressed Martin, a graduate of Colorado. “I’m thrilled to support him as an alumnus. It’s incredible that he can play both offense and defense—who else can do that?”

West, a former teammate, has met Hunter and describes him as “a team-oriented player,” much like Salaam.

He noted, “Hunter is very down-to-earth and always has a smile. I can’t think of a better individual to represent our university and earn the second Heisman trophy than Travis. He embodies many of the same qualities as Rashaan.”

If Hunter secures the Heisman trophy this Saturday, it will truly be “a celebration for us all” at Colorado, just as Hunter stated—mirroring what Salaam envisioned 30 years ago when he celebrated the same achievement.

“As we always say, ‘We spread love to one another,’” Kordell Stewart added. “It’s never about a single individual.”