NFL legend Sean Taylor reacted to hearing suspicious noises in his house when he was shot in the upper thigh, severing his femoral artery.

His fiancée, Jackie Garcia, and their then-18-month-old daughter, Jackie, were also at home at the time of the incident. Thankfully, they both were unharmed. 

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Sean Taylor and Jackie Garcia were college sweethearts. They started dating in childhood. The duo got engaged and had a daughter, whom they also named Jackie.

Things changed when the mother of Sean’s daughter found him lying in a pool of his own blood, gasping for air, at their Palmetto Bay home.

“I got a towel and tried to stop the bleeding,” said Jackie Garcia, niece of actor Andy Garcia. “I ran outside and screamed for help. I told them someone was dying, to please hurry.” 

Since his death, Jackie Taylor has been growing up in the care of her nurturing mother.

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“I’m so proud of how hard my father worked to receive this honor,” Jackie said as her mother happily looked upon the occasion from the crowd. “He took a lot of pride in his career as a Hurricane.” Jackie Garcia, or Jackie Garcia Hayley, on the other hand, married Shay Haley, a musician and record producer, best known for being a member of the funk-rock band N*E*R*D.

A memorial of Taylor was unveiled at the FedEx Field on Sunday ahead of Washington Commanders’ Week 12 tie against the Atlanta Falcons. November 27 is the 15th year death anniversary of the No 21 Commanders player, who was shot and killed in 2007. 

Several NFL players and teams paid their tributes to Sean Taylor.