Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)Head Washington State football coach Mike Leach, right, reaches out to console Mark Hililnski as he walks by carrying the ashes of his late son, Tyler Hilinski, on Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGThe Rev. Charles Ramirez leads the memorial service for Tyler Hilinski on Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGMembers of the Washington State University football team enter the Damien High School gymnasium for former player Tyler Hilinski’s memorial service Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGUpland High School head football coach Tim Salter attends the memorial service for former player Tyler Hilinski on Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGApproximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGMembers of the Washington State University football team leave the Damien High School gymnasium following a memorial service for teammate Tyler Hilinski’s Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGMourners embrace prior to a memorial service for Tyler Hilinski on Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGHead Washington State football coach Mike Leach speaks with the Rev. Charles Ramirez prior to a memorial service for Tyler Hilinski on Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGTyler Hilinski’s aunt, Christine Hilinski, speaks about her late nephew during a memorial service for the late Upland High School and Washington State University quarterback Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGTyler Hilinski’s brother Kelly, his mother Kim and father Mark embrace near a picture of Tyler during a memorial service for the late Upland High School and Washington State University quarterback Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGUCLA football coach Chip Kelly attends the memorial service for former Upland High School and Washington State University quarterback Tyler Hilinski on Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGFormer UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen attends the memorial service for former Upland High School and Washington State University quarterback Tyler Hilinski on Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGHead Washington State football coach Mike Leach, right, embraces Tyler Hilinski’s mother, Kim, following a memorial service for the late Upland High School and WSU quarterback Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGApproximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGApproximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGMark Hilinski carries the ashes of his son Tyler as he leave a memorial service for his late son Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGUpland High School head football coach Tim Salter attends the memorial service for former player Tyler Hilinski on Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGMembers of the Washington State University football team leave the Damien High School gymnasium following a memorial service for teammate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGMourners embrace next to the ashes of Tyler Hilinski prior to a memorial service for the former Upland High School quarterback Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGApproximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGTyler Hilinski’s brother Ryan speaks about the former Upland High School and Washington State University quarterback during his memorial service Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGTyler Hilinski’s mother Kim is embraced during a memorial service for her late son Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGMembers of the Washington State University football team stand during a memorial service for their teammate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGMembers of the Washington State University football team leave the Damien High School gymnasium following a memorial service for teammate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday in La Verne. Approximately 1,000 people, including the entire Washington State University football team, attended a memorial service for former Upland High School graduate Tyler Hilinski on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Damien High School in La Verne. Helinski took his own life on January 16 in Washington state. Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNGShow Caption of Expand
LA VERNE — Talented, caring, bright, passionate.
Those where the words used by family, friends, teammates and mentors as they remembered Tyler Hilinski during a memorial service for the 21-year-old Upland High School graduate and member of the Washington State football team Saturday afternoon at Damien High School in La Verne.
Related: Former Upland football star Tyler Hilinski’s death leaves loved ones searching for answers
Damien’s gym was filled with more than 1,000 mourners, including members of Hilinski’s family, some of his former teammates from Upland and most of the Washington State University football team, including coach Mike Leach.
Damien was chosen for the service not only because of its size, but because it held special significance for the Hilinski family; it’s where father Mark Hilinski attended high school.
Other dignitaries in attendance included UCLA coach Chip Kelly and former UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen.
To honor his friend and teammate, former Washington State quarterback Luke Falk passed on a chance to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Alabama — an all-star game that has traditionally been seen as a stepping board to play in the pros.
The Washington State contingent included about 300 members who flew in from Pullman, Wash., on Saturday morning.
Hilinski, who led Upland to the CIF Southern Section semifinals in 2013 and ’14, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Jan. 16.
“The thing I always remember about Tyler is how positive he always was,” Upland coach Tim Salter said. “He loved being on the football field. He loved being in the weight room, he loved being in meetings. You talk about people who had passion? He had passion. He made all the people around him feel good about themselves.”
That was not limited to his teammates. His family and friends also saw that side of Hilinski.
“He made our lives better, happier and more joyful,” Hilinski’s aunt and godmother Christine Hilinski told the mourners. “His smile and laughter was infectious, and he left anyone he encountered better than when he found them. He brightened the room.”
Tyler Hilinski, who was Inland Valley Offensive Player of the Year in 2013 after leading Upland to the CIF-SS semifinals, threw for nearly 1,200 yards for Washington State this past season in a reserve role. He was slated to be the Cougars’ starter this year.
He also inspired those he encountered, including his younger brother Ryan, a starting quarterback and upcoming senior at Orange Lutheran in the city of Orange. What he meant to Ryan can’t be found on the football field.
“I’ll let it be known today that it was an honor and privilege to have Tyler as my big brother in watching him live his 21 glorious years,” Ryan Hilinski told the mourners. “As the youngest brother, I knew I had to prove myself. Tyler never failed to let me feel accepted. He was the most proud brother. He was the most kind, loving spirited person I’ve ever known.”
Some of Tyler Hilinksi’s former Upland teammates in attendance were Elijah Jones, who is now at the Naval Academy, and Bijan Hosseini, now at the University of Texas El Paso.
“None of us want to be here. It’s still shocking,” Hosseini said. “But there was no way I wasn’t going to be here. I went to my coaching staff and told them I don’t know what we have going on, but I need to be home.”
“What happened is something none of us could have expected,” Hosseini added. “Tyler was the light on our team. When anyone was down, he was the pick-me-up guy. I was his offensive lineman and he picked me up. It was always positive reinforcement.”
Said Ryan Hillinski to the mourners: “Tyler, you were my hero. I love you more than I know. I know you are smiling down on us. Take care of business up there, and I handle it down here. I will see you when I see you, big brother.”
Source: Oc Register
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