RIP

Vincent Jackson's foundation is thanking fans for making donations in the NFL star's honor following his death ... saying the support will keep his legacy alive for years to come.

The 38-year-old ex-NFL star was found dead in a Florida hotel room on Monday. Officials have not yet determined the cause of death.

The Jackson In Action 83 Foundation -- which provides support and resources to military families -- released a statement following the tragic death ... saying, "While there is a hole in our hearts that can never be filled, we take solace in knowing that Vincent positively impacted so many lives."

"His legacy will continue through the work of the Jackson in Action 83 Foundation and our support of military children and families."

FYI -- Both of Jackson's parents served in the military ... and the 3-time Pro Bowler often invited families involved in the armed forces to games throughout his career.

The statement continued ... "A military child himself, Vincent took great pride in the foundation’s work, and we know he would not only want it to continue but to grow."

"Ink Master" star Daniel Silva says he's still struggling to deal with the death of his friend, Corey La Barrie, but wants to do what he can to honor him.

As you know ... Corey was killed last May on his 25th birthday after he and Daniel left a party together. Daniel was driving his McLaren sports car, when he got into the fatal wreck.

Daniel joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday to talk about the painful experience, and what he's doing to try to make up for the tragedy ... including being an advocate for safe driving.

He also says he hopes to one day be able to speak with Corey's family in person to express his contrition, but until then ... he's focused on making amends however possible.

Earlier Tuesday, Daniel shared a lengthy video talking publicly for the first time about Corey's death, and what the loss has meant to him.

Daniel also thanked the La Barrie family for showing him empathy and acknowledging the incident was a tragic accident in a legal letter, which he read.

He ended up pleading no contest to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and was sentenced to 4 years in state prison, but most of the sentence was suspended and he only got 365 days in county jail with 216 days of credit instead. He was released in October.

The La Barrie family filed a wrongful death suit against Daniel last year, and in January ... Daniel's legal team responded by claiming Corey was partly responsible for his own death.

Ahmaud Arbery's mother wants to do something special for her son to mark the 1-year anniversary of his death ... so she's organizing a public candlelight vigil.

Wanda Cooper-Jones tells TMZ ... Ahmaud's family will be gathering at his final resting place -- New Springfield Baptist Church in Waynesboro, GA -- on February 23 for the event.

Wanda says they're asking everyone to wear a blue ribbon in a show of solidarity and in remembrance of what happened. She says blue was Ahmaud's favorite color.

As we reported ... the 25-year-old was killed on Feb. 23, 2020 while jogging in Brunswick, GA, but it wasn't until graphic video of the incident surfaced in May that Ahmaud's death grabbed national headlines and ignited a demand for justice.

Nearly 3 months after the killing, Travis and Gregory McMichael were arrested and charged with murder in Ahmaud's killing ... along with alleged accomplice William "Roddy" Bryan.

As the anniversary approaches, Wanda says she's overcome with a sense of dread thinking about how her son died -- and it's a reminder her son is never coming back.

This past weekend, she remembered she and Ahmaud went to a barbershop together on Feb. 13, 2020 -- and, of course, it turned out to be the last time.

We're also told the family is working on launching a foundation in Ahmaud's honor -- something separate from the 2.23 Foundation ... which is not affiliated with the family.

Vincent Jackson -- a 3-time Pro Bowl wide receiver -- was found dead in a hotel room in Florida on Monday, officials confirm. He was only 38.

The former San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Bucs star was discovered by a housekeeper inside his room at the Homewood Suites hotel in Brandon, Florida (located in the Tampa area). Cops have released pics from the scene.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office says it's investigating -- as there is no apparent cause of death. No signs of trauma, etc.

Jackson had been staying at the hotel since January 11 -- though it's unclear why he was living there considering he made a fortune during his 12 years as an NFL player.

Officials say Jackson's family filed a missing persons report regarding the NFL star on February 11. He was located on Feb. 12 and cops spoke with him.

"After assessing Jackson’s well-being, the missing persons case was canceled," officials say.

He was found dead in his hotel room days later.

Sheriff Chad Chronister issued a statement saying, "My heart aches for the many loved ones Vincent Jackson leaves behind, from his wife and children to the Buccaneers nation that adored him."

"Mr. Jackson was a devoted man who put his family and community above everything else."

Jackson worked closely with the Sheriff's Dept and was even made an honorary deputy.

"He will be sorely missed by not only football fans across the country, but also the people here in Hillsborough County who reaped the benefits of his generous contributions."

Jackson was a star athlete in both football and basketball at the University of Northern Colorado before going 61st overall to the San Diego Chargers in the 2005 NFL Draft.

Jackson played for the Chargers from 2005 to 2011, making the Pro Bowl twice.

He spent the latter part of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, earning a 3rd Pro Bowl spot in 2012.

The WR finally retired from the game in 2016. Jackson earned 540 receptions, 57 TDs and more than 9,000 receiving yards during his 12 seasons in the league ... and reportedly made more than $71 million in contract money during his NFL run.

Tributes are already starting to pour in ... his ex-Chargers teammate, Shawne Merriman, tweeted, "Man, no way. Praying for Vincent Jackson’s family. Dude was 3 years younger than me. Rest In Peace brother."

His alma mater also posted a tribute ...

The Chargers released a statement Monday ... saying, "We are shocked and deeply saddened by news of Vincent Jackson's sudden passing."

"Vincent was a fan favorite not only for his Pro Bowl play on the field but for the impact he made on the community off of it. The work he had done on behalf of military families through his foundation in the years since his retirement has been an inspiration to all of us."

"We simply cannot believe he's gone, and our hearts go out to his wife, Lindsey, their children, his parents, former teammates and everyone whose lives were touched by having known Vincent."

DJ Swearinger -- who played with Jackson on the Bucs in 2015 -- says, "My Goodness, may God be with your family Vincent Jackson! Rest In Peace! Og was a helluva teammate & a great guy frfr! Man I’m Praying for your Family."

NFL linebacker Tre Watson tweeted, "This Vincent Jackson story is so sad & really odd at the same time. Just doesn’t sound right."

Bucs star Mike Evans -- who played with Jackson for 2 seasons in TB -- shared his condolences ... saying, "V Jax thank you for everything I love you big bro. Praying for your family Rest in Paradise."

Nicki Minaj's father, Robert Maraj, has died after being struck in a hit-and-run accident ... TMZ has learned.

Nassau County Police in New York say he was walking on the road between Roslyn Road and Raff Avenue Friday evening around 6 PM ET, when he was hit by a vehicle heading northbound. Cops say the driver then fled the scene without a meaningful description from witnesses.

Robert was taken to an area hospital in critical condition, where he succumbed to his injuries and passed over the weekend. The Homicide Squad is investigating the case and asking for the public's help in identifying the responsible party. There was not a decent description of the suspect vehicle provided.

Nicki hasn't spoken on her dad's death yet. There are shots of them together embracing over the years, so they obviously had a decent relationship and saw each other from time to time. It's unclear what Nicki's relationship with her dad was currently.

A rep for Nicki confirmed her dad's death, but did not have further comment at this time.

Robert was just 64.

Alex Trebek's last great "Jeopardy!" champion has died at the young age of only 24.

Brayden Smith, who scored a 5-game winning streak and more than $115,000 in winnings as Trebek's era came to a close, died unexpectedly last Friday in his hometown of Las Vegas. The cause of death is unclear.

Brayden's lifelong dream had always been to appear on "Jeopardy!" ... and the young man, who had reportedly tried getting on the show at least a dozen times, left a lasting impression on Trebek and fans alike.

His run was so impressive he drew comparisons to the great James Holzhauer because he also had a knack for finding the Daily Doubles and laying huge wagers when he did.

Trebek was very much impressed with Brayden's prolific run ... dubbing him "Billy Buzzsaw" for his ability to dismantle the competition. Trebek also uttered "Most impressive. I don't know what to say." Brayden, of course, appeared in the final shows Trebek ever hosted before he died from pancreatic cancer.

Brayden, who died about a month after his episode aired, had been looking forward to competing in the show's Tournament of Champions. He had just graduated from UNLV last year with a degree in economics and had hoped to attend law school and become a U.S. Attorney.

The family's asked that donations be made in Brayden's name here ... a fund benefiting Nevada students furthering their education.

RIP, Champ.

Larry Flynt -- the famous and controversial publisher known for launching a porn empire -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Family sources tell us the mogul passed Wednesday morning in Los Angeles from heart failure.

For nearly 50 years, Flynt's been one of the biggest names in the adult entertainment industry. He launched "Hustler" magazine in 1974, which brought him fame and fortune as it skyrocketed in popularity ... and also brought countless legal issues.

Many of these First Amendment battles were chronicled in the Oscar-nominated 1996 film, "The People vs. Larry Flynt," starring Woody Harrelson.

Flynt's magazine and notoriety also led to him being shot in 1978 in a murder attempt by serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin. The shooting left Larry paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair, and he suffered from constant pain and other medical issues as a result.

Along with being the name behind the Hustler brand, Flynt's the president of Larry Flynt Publications ... which produces other magazines like "Barely Legal," pornographic videos and Hustler TV.

He also opened the famous Hustler Casino near L.A. in 2000.

Flynt dabbled in politics, controversially of course, by attempting a brief presidential run in 1984 and running for Governor of California in the 2003 recall election. He also weighed in during Bill Clinton's impeachment trial by offering $1 million for evidence of sexual transgressions to publish his "The Flynt Report."

As for his personal life ... Flynt was married 5 times. He married his current wife, Elizabeth Berrios, in 1998. He has 5 daughters and a son, along with many grandchildren and great-grandkids.

Larry was 78.

Alex Trebek's polished "Jeopardy!" look is about to serve others needing professional attire as they try to turn their lives around -- another testament to Alex's unending spirit of giving.

A significant portion of Alex's on-set wardrobe from the game show is being donated to The Doe Fund -- a nonprofit that helps underserved individuals bouncing back from homelessness or incarceration get back on their feet, especially men.

A lot of those guys are looking for work, and need suits for job interviews. To that end, Alex's own suits will now be worn on their backs as they move forward. It's pretty incredible.

"Jeopardy!" honchos say all-in-all ... The Doe Fund is getting 14 full suits, 58 dress shirts, 300 neckties, 25 polos, 14 sweaters, 9 blazers, 9 pairs of dress shoes, 15 belts, 2 parkas and 3 pairs of slacks. That's quite a haul from Alex's closet and will help so many in need.

As for how they decided what to pick -- Alex's own son, Matthew, actually linked up with "Jeopardy!" costumer Steven Zimbelman to make the selections and pack them up for shipment. There are photos of them going through a coat rack of Alex's wardrobe, and pics of some of the men in need holding up suits after receiving them.

They look pretty stoked, and we would be too ... it's not every day you can slip into a suit worn by Alex himself. Based on what we see here, it appears the donation features a lot of his darker suits.

The federal agency tasked with investigating the helicopter crash that killed Kobe and Gianna Bryant, along with 7 others, will announce their findings in a Tuesday meeting -- including the probable cause of the accident.

National Transportation Safety Board will meet virtually Tuesday -- and it will be open to the public, so we'll live stream the whole thing here.

The NTSB has been working on the case ever since the aircraft -- a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter -- crashed in Calabasas on Jan 26, 2020.

As we previously reported, the NTSB initially said preliminary findings showed no outward evidence of engine failure -- and months into the investigation, officials said the pilot may have been disoriented when the aircraft was caught in deep fog.

Autopsy results showed the pilot, Ara Zobayan, was NOT on alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash ... and NTSB investigators said Zobayan’s girlfriend told them he was in great shape before the accident.

The NTSB said in June it found evidence showing Zobayan thought he was ascending over the fog, when in reality, the helicopter was going downward at a high rate of speed.

In addition to revealing the likely cause of the crash, the NTSB is also expected to make flight recommendations for similar aircraft in the hopes of preventing another tragedy.

Along with Kobe and Zobayan, seven others -- including Kobe's daughter, Gianna, and friends Alyssa Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, John Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Payton Chester and Sarah Chester -- perished in the Jan. 26, 2020 crash.

#RIP

Mary Wilson, a founding member of The Supremes, the group that not only racked up one of the most impressive string of hits in music history but also helped break the color barrier, has died.

Mary's longtime publicist, Jay Schwartz, said she passed suddenly at her home in Henderson, Nevada. We're told she was fine just days ago.  The cause of death is unknown.

It's impossible to overstate the impact and popularity of The Supremes. They hit like a nuclear bomb in the '60s with a string of chart-topping songs, beginning with "Where Did Our Love Go," and then "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "You Can't Hurry Love," "Reflections," "I Hear a Symphony," "Love Child," "Someday We'll Be Together" and on and on and on.

The Supremes were Motown's most successful act in the '60s, with 12 singles that hit #1. They still remain the #1 female recording group of all time.

Mary, along with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, grew up in Detroit's Brewster Project. They formed the group in high school and hung around Motown Records, lobbying Berry Gordy for a break. He told them to finish high school and come back, and they did.

They actually started out as The Primettes ... a counterpoint to another group -- The Primes. FYI ... The Primes ultimately changed their name to The Temptations.

Berry Gordy saw something in The Supremes and decided they would be the group to take Motown to clubs that did not traditionally cater to white audiences, like New York's Copacabana. The Supremes did just that and they are widely credited for helping move the ball in the '60s civil rights movement. They were prized TV guests on programs like "American Bandstand," "The Ed Sullivan Show" and their own TV specials.

The group eventually became Diana Ross and The Supremes and friction developed between Mary and Diana. Diana Ross left the group in 1970 and she was replaced by Jean Terrell. Lots of people in the music biz assumed that would be the end of The Supremes, but far from it.

The newly-configured Supremes racked up yet another string of hits ... "Up the Ladder to the Roof," "Stoned Love," "Nathan Jones," "Everybody's Got the Right to Love," "Floy Joy," and more.

There were more changes in the group and eventually they disbanded in 1977. There was talk of a reunion from time to time, but Diana Ross was never open to it. Nevertheless, Ross tweeted, "My condolences to you Mary's family ... I have so many wonderful memories of our time together. "The Supremes" will love on, in our hearts."

Mary continued to perform as a solo act and became an author and motivational speaker.

Just 2 days ago Mary posted a video on YouTube, excitedly talking about Black History Month, The Supremes 60th anniversary and the upcoming release of her own recordings.

Berry Gordy said of Mary's passing, "The Supremes were always known as the 'sweethearts of Motown' ... I was always proud of Mary. She was quite a star in her own right and over the years continued to work hard to boost the legacy of The Supremes. Mary Wilson was extremely special to me. She was a trailblazer, a diva and will be deeply missed."

Mary leaves behind a daughter, Turkessa, and a son, Pedro Antonio, Jr., and many grandchildren.

She was 76.

RIP, Mary.

Marty Schottenheimer -- one of the NFL's all-time greatest head coaches -- died on Monday after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's ... his family announced Tuesday.

He was 77 years old.

The coach had fought Alzheimer's since 2014 ... but was moved to a North Carolina hospice facility last month after his family said he was suffering from "complications from his disease."

Schottenheimer's wife, Pat, said at the time, "As a family we are surrounding him with love and are soaking up the prayers and support from all those he impacted through his incredible life."

"In the way he taught us all, we are putting one foot in front of the other ... one play at a time."

Pat and the rest of the Schottenheimer family told ESPN's Chris Mortensen Marty passed on Monday ... adding the former coach will have a private family service soon with a public memorial service at a later date.

Schottenheimer was a head man in the NFL for 21 years ... and is 1 of just 8 men to win at least 200 games in the league as a head coach.

He began his head coaching career with the Cleveland Browns in 1984 -- and later went on to coach Joe Montana and Marcus Allen in Kansas City starting in 1989.

Schottenheimer went on to spend 10 total years with the Chiefs -- piling up a 101-58-1 regular-season record. He took the team to 7 playoff appearances -- and even brought them to the AFC Championship game in 1993, where they lost to the Buffalo Bills.

Marty continued his coaching career with Washington before moving to the San Diego Chargers. He was named Coach of the Year there in 2004, when the team went 12-4 and won the AFC West.

Billy Brown -- the Brown family patriarch featured in 12 seasons of the hit series "Alaskan Bush People" -- has died.

Billy died Sunday following a seizure. His son, Bear, wrote on Instagram the family is "heartbroken to announce that our beloved patriarch Billy Brown passed away last night after suffering from a seizure."

Bear added, "He was our best friend - a wonderful and loving dad, granddad and husband and he will be dearly missed. He lived his life on his terms, off the grid and off the land and taught us to live like that as well."

A spokesperson for Discovery tells TMZ ... everyone at the network is devastated and said Billy's been "part of the Discovery family for years - a trailblazer, a lovely man and most definitely one of a kind. Our heart is with his family and those that knew him and loved him as they deal with this devastating loss."

Billy was an avid hunter and a pretty brilliant commercial fisherman in the North Pacific. He grew up in Texas and when he was 16 he suffered a tragedy -- his mother, father and sister died in a plane crash.

After meeting his wife, Ami, in Texas, they decided to move to Alaska where they raised their family of 5 sons and 2 daughters.

Billy was 68.

Robinhood's got blood on its hands, according to the parents of a young trader who took his life ... falsely thinking he was $730,000 in the red, and now they're suing.

The parents of 20-year-old Alex Kearns filed suit Monday against Robinhood, accusing the stock-trading app of wrongful death in the college student's June suicide.

In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Alex's parents claim he killed himself one day after Robinhood posted a notice restricting his account showing he was in the hole a whopping $730k and told him he needed to come up with around $170k ASAP.

Alex's parents claim the initial notice was misleading and inaccurate, and they say Alex was shocked at what he owed and tried to contact Robinhood for clarification, but all he got was a boilerplate email response.

Alex killed himself by stepping in front of an oncoming train, and his parents claim he left a suicide note wondering ... "How was a 20-year-old with no income able to get assigned almost a million dollars' worth of leverage? There was no intention to be assigned this much and take this much risk, and I only thought I was risking the money I actually owned."

His parents claim the note ended with, "A painful lesson. F**k Robinhood."

The saddest part ... Robinhood allegedly emailed Alex the day after his suicide, suggesting he didn't actually owe 6 figures.

In addition to wrongful death, Alex's parents are also suing Robinhood for unfair business practices.

A Robinhood spokesperson tells us, “We were devastated by Alex Kearns’ death. Since June, we’ve made improvements to our options offering. These include adding the ability to exercise contracts in the app, guidance to help customers through early assignment, updates to how we display buying power, more educational materials on options, and new financial criteria and revised experience requirements for new customers seeking to trade Level 3 options. "

We're also told the app's added live voice support for customers and changed protocols to get faster help for customers who email questions.

The teenage son of Dr. Laura Berman -- the famous sex therapist on Oprah Winfrey's TV network -- has died after what sounds like an accidental drug overdose.

Dr. Berman made the announcement Sunday, saying her 16-year-old Samuel had recently passed away after what she describes as a shady drug deal on Snapchat ... which apparently led to her boy getting fentanyl-laced Xanax pills.

She writes, "Sheltering at home. A drug dealer connected with him on Snapchat and gave him fentinyl laced Xanax and he overdosed in his room." Dr. Berman says dealers lace their stuff with fentanyl because it hooks their buyers, but it can obviously kill people too if too much is taken ... as we've come to realize in recent years.

Her post goes on ... "My heart is completely shattered and I am not sure how to keep breathing. I post this now only so that not one more kid dies." Dr. Berman explains that, yes, she and her family watched Samuel closely, and that he was a straight-A student.

Still, one experiment with prescription pills went wrong ... and cost him his life. Sounds like this happened right under his parents' noses too -- she says the drugs were delivered to their house while they were quarantining ... and warns parents to monitor Snapchat heavily.

Dr. Berman's had her own program on OWN for almost a decade now -- not to mention a number of books she's written, and a radio show she hosts as well. She has 2 other boys, who are close in age to Samuel.

Jesus Christ has no place in the George Floyd murder case ... at least that's what Derek Chauvin’s defense lawyers are asking the judge to make sure of in his upcoming trial.

Lawyers representing Chauvin -- the ex-cop accused of murdering Floyd -- filed a motion asking the judge to keep a bunch of things out of his trial, including one seeking to stop the other side from drawing any comparisons between George and Jesus.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Chauvin's defense asks the judge for an order precluding any expert from likening Floyd's death to the crucifixion of Christ. The defense claims such analogies would be prejudicial.

According to the docs, the defense also wants to stop Floyd from being referred to as a "victim" and they don't want anyone labeling Chauvin as a "defendant."

The defense doesn't want police officers taking the stand to talk about how they would've handled the case differently, either, and they don't want paramedics testifying about the cause and manner of death.

U.S. Congressman Ron Wright has died from COVID-19 -- the first such sitting member of Congress to succumb to the lethal virus since the pandemic began.

The Texas Representative's staff made the announcement Monday, saying he'd passed Sunday while hospitalized in Dallas -- with his wife, Susan, by his side in her own bed ... as she too had been admitted after they both came down with COVID in January.

At the time his diagnosis was announced, on Jan. 21, Wright said in a statement that he was experiencing minor symptoms ... but more or less felt fine and was determined to keep working on behalf of his district. Clearly, his health took a toll for the worst.

His staff also notes ... he'd been battling and getting treatment for cancer in recent years.

He'd been serving in Congress since 2019, and was in his second term at the time of his hospitalization. A lifelong Republican, Wright had been involved in local politics down in Tarrant County, TX -- which covers a majority of the Fort Worth area. He served as an at-large member on Arlington's City Council, and at one point filled in as mayor pro tempore.

While Wright is the first active member of Congress to have died from coronavirus, another incoming congressman from Louisiana, Representative-elect Luke Letlow, died from COVID in December before being able to be sworn in and serve with his freshman class.

Wright was 67.