Who was Jeremy Tillman? Father-of-six collapses and dies while helping son move into Arkansas State University
RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS: Jeremy Tillman, a 45-year-old car salesman from Russellville, Arkansas, who was assisting his son, Jace Tillman, to move into college, collapsed and died inside a residence hall at Arkansas State University.
His fiancee, Elizabeth Goodson, 39, told KARK that the beloved father-of-six experienced a "very sudden medical event" at the university at 10 am on Saturday, August 26, as per Daily Mail.
Jeremy Tillman recently got engaged to Elizabeth Goodson
Jeremy Tillman had been engaged to Elizabeth Goodson for less than two months, after proposing to her at the historic Machu Picchu site in Peru in June, at the time of his death.
Speaking of her deceased partner, Goodson remarked, "He took me and my 6 children, and chose to integrate us into his life without hesitation," adding, "Jeremy was a tender and affectionate partner. He was a man of the highest integrity, and there is no one like him. This hole in our hearts will never be able to be filled."
She continued, "He came through the door, and he was in obvious distress. I guess he may have strained too hard."
Jeremy had six children of his own, along with two grandchildren.
Jeremy Tillman's family described him as a 'well respected and loving man'
Jeremy was helping his son, Jace Tillman, carry his stuff onto the campus in preparation for the fall semester when the unfortunate incident took place. His son Jace took to Facebook to share a touching collage of images containing memories with his father.
Another son, Jaymi Tillman, wrote, "God I miss you so much already," on Facebook, attaching a picture with his father.
Hannah Brazil, Jeremy's daughter, posted a heartfelt remembrance of her father on Facebook, stating, "Our father was a well respected and loving man that always put his family first, and never stopped putting a smile on the face of everyone he interacted with."
Jeremy's obituary stated that his family cherished his passion for "shooting guns, working on cars, and most of all, spending time with his family."
His fiancee, Goodson said, "I will say the school did a very good job of assisting in every way possible and making sure everyone was moved," appreciating Arkansas State University.
Elizabeth Goodson remembers Jeremy Tillman's love for the children
According to his fiancee, Elizabeth Goodson, Jeremy Tillman was an understanding parent who loved his children dearly.
She stated, "Despite working full-time and part-time at home, he rarely missed important events, and he always made time for movie nights, soccer in the yard, or pull-up competitions."
"He showed our children how a man should treat a woman and how to be intentional with your word," added the mother-of-six.
"He was selfless, and always worked hard to ensure everyone had the things that they wanted and needed, often to his own detriment. He loved all our children and was the epitome of what a man and father should be," expressed Goodson.
Goodson continued, "I know a lot of people often say it but he never met a stranger, he was always really friendly, outgoing and everyone loved him. As a family, everyone just leans on one another. We have a good circle of friends and this is a great community to lean on everyone just kind of rallies around one another."
How did Jeremy Tillman die?
Officers arrived on the scene of Arkansas State University just moments after Jeremy Tillman, an employee of a car dealership, collapsed and began to foam at the mouth.
In an effort to revive him, emergency personnel utilized a defibrillator and tried CPR, but he was pronounced dead upon reaching St Bernard's Medical Center.
Goodson stated, "We went there with him, and then driving home without him was, I think, one of the worst things I’ve ever experienced," about the incident to KARK 4 News.