DEARBORN, Mich. – The University of Michigan-Dearborn athletics family is deeply saddened by the news of the passing of former UM-Dearborn lacrosse student-athlete Alex Fitzgerald.
Alex passed away at the age of 27 on Sunday while descending Mount Rainer in Washington through unexpected white-out conditions.
The full obituary, including memorial service information, is available by CLICKING HERE.
"Fitzy was one of my all-time favorites," UM-Dearborn Head Lacrosse Coach Jason Watts said. "Alex was your do-it-all player. He was a captain, face-off man, one-man clear, started on man up, and would even play pole when needed. He gave 100 percent effort in all he did and was always a team-first type player. I will never forget his energy, smile, and sense of humor. It was an honor and privilege to have known and coached him for four years."
Alex was a member of the Wolverine lacrosse team from 2012-2015. He played in 41 games, scored 22 goals, and added 18 assists. The native of Clarkston, Mich., graduated from UM-Dearborn with a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Sciences.
The UM-Dearborn lacrosse team will honor Alex, naming an annual program award after him – the Alex Fitzgerald Memorial Workhorse Award.
"You could always count on Fitzy for the hustle plays like clearing, getting a tough groundball, winning a faceoff, or whatever the team needed," Sean Walsh, a former teammate of Alex, said. "And you could always count on him to be one of the first people to help celebrate a good play or calm you down after a mistake."
Alex was a two-time team Workhorse Award winner. The Workhorse Award is given annually to a team member who demonstrated 100 percent effort in all they did on and off the field.
Following his time at UM-Dearborn, Alex, beloved son of Teresa Fitzgerald and Sean Fitzgerald, moved to Seattle, Wash., and began a career at Hydromax USA.
