Tragedy Strikes Ratliff's Family

Nose tackle Jay Ratliff will miss Wednesday’s and Thursday’s practices with the team to attend the funeral of his grandparents, who perished last Wednesday evening in a house fire in Hahira, Georgia.

According to authorities, 74-yera-old Arletha Ratliff appeared to be in the bedroom, attempting to save her 84-year-old husband Willie, who was a double-amputee. Neither Arletha or her husband made it out of the fire alive.

"It just took awhile to get in and locate them and by that time they passed away," said Hahira Fire Chief Dwight Bennett, per WALB 10 in Georgia.

The blaze started when a short circuit in the home’s washing machine sparked a small fire, which then spread throughout the house. It reportedly took firefighters three attempts to get inside the house due to intense heat and smoke.

Jay Ratliff graduated from Lowndes High School in nearby Valdosta, Ga.

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