USC kicker Danelo found dead at bottom of cliff

ESPN ^ | January 6, 2006 | ESPN News Services

[USMCWife6869]

"Mario Danelo, a kicker for the USC football team, was found dead Saturday in San Pedro, Calif.

Danelo's body was found at the bottom of White Point Cliff in San Pedro, according for a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department. Police did not release further details. "

[dfwgator]

Just a sad story.

[BookmanTheJanitor]

Shame on people for making light of it.

I also share your outrage towards those people on this thread who thought it was appropriate to try out their comedy on it. Prayers to Mario's parents (Joe & Emily), Mario's brothers, and the rest of the Danelo family. This really hurts...

[tomcorn]

Nah...White Point Cliff is not a climbing area.The Geology is friable aggregates and sandstone.Nothing to climb or anchor on.

[Man50D]

I can appreciate his family and community being stunned by this sudden loss. My sister in law suffered a major stroke December 22 and remained in a coma until she died on January 3. She was the picture of health, frequently running in road races and had done so since she was a teenager. It is and has been devastating not only for the family but for the hundreds of people who recently attended her wake and funeral where she lived.

I'm sure those who are making light of Mario's death on this thread will not be laughing should they experience the same thing with someone close to them

[Misterioso]

Do you think they will make the rails higher. NO!

Why can't they just make the water shallower?

[Alia]

There are plans in the make to actually cage the walkways of the Golden Gate Bridge.

[Pharmboy]

I remember his dad well: Joe Danelo, kicked for my Giants for years.

[river rat]

Another two feet of rail isn't going to stop someone who wants to kill themselves."

Hell, Fences and signs won't even prevent folks who aren't thinking of suicide from making life risking dumb ass moves..

We have all seen folks - mostly tourists - ignore the warning signs at the coast, and venture onto the rocks reaching out into the Pacific ocean..... Several times a year around here - folks on the rocks are washed off by wave action and drown.

Several times - I've personally warned folks, some with small children that the signs are warning of a clear and present danger and strongly advise them NOT to venture past the signs onto the rocks.. A couple of times -- families with small children ignored the warning, wanting to "let the children get a better look"......

Stupid is as stupid does..

Semper Fi

[G Larry]

This isn't that hard to figure out.

He missed two PAT's in the Rose Bowl and likely figured his Pro prospects were shot.

Sad, if true, but that may have been enough to drive a singularly focused young man to his demise.

[Clara Lou]

Tell me, where do you live? Have you ever seen a cliff? If not, you need to get out some.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Rest in peace. Prayers for the family.

[BurbankKarl]

Cliff Rescue/Body Recovery
Point Fermin
San Pedro
Saturday, January 6, 2007
TIME: 4:37 PM
INCIDENT #: 0855

On Saturday, January 6, 2007 at 4:37 PM, seven Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, one LAFD Rescue Ambulance, one Urban Search and Rescue Unit, two Helicopters, two Fireboats, one EMS Battalion Captain, one Battalion Chief Officer Command Team and one Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of fifty Los Angeles Fire Department personnel, under the direction of Battalion Chief Ray Olsen responded to a Cliff Rescue near Point Fermin Park in San Pedro.

In response to the call of a passerby describing a motionless person at the base of the rugged cliffs west of the Pt. Fermin Lighthouse, the Los Angeles Fire Department rapidly deployed ground-based Firefighters as well as rescue-capable fireboats and helicopters to the scene.

Neighborhood Firefighters scrambled down a steep trail near-dusk to find the lifeless body of an adult male on the rocky shore during low tide conditions. Despite the rapid response of rescuers, the man proved to be beyond medical help and was declared deceased at the scene.

There was no vehicle, surfing or SCUBA equipment seen at the base of the 120-foot cliff, and the man was clad in street clothes rather than aquatic attire.

Firefighters were not able to determine how or when the man arrived at the rocky shoreline, and surmised some manner of physical trauma based solely on the manner in which is torso and limbs were positioned when found.

With darkness and high-tides approaching, Firefighters assisted Los Angeles Police Officers and Coroner's staff in safely accessing the body.

Following the on-site investigation by law enforcement, a Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter crew moved the man's remains to the cliff-top Pt. Fermin Park in a safe and dignified manner.

A positive identification of the decedent, as well as the time, cause and manner of his death will be determined by Coroner's officials.

[ExtremeUnction]

Cliff Rescue/Body Recovery/Point Fermin/San Pedro

Thanks for the post. As a LAPD officer in the 70's I saw one suicide at Point Fermin that was particularly disturbing. Two 18 year-old girls were talking while standing near the cliff. One just said, "I'm going to die", then jumped. Her body was recovered several miles out by helicopter. No one could ever determine why she did it.

[Slump Tester]

"My guess is he didn't keep the agreed deal for point spread and he got whacked."

That's the first thing that I thought of too. Or maybe he did as told, and then they shut him up.

[Hebrews 11:6]

rintense: "My guess is he didn't keep the agreed deal for point spread and he got whacked."

Slump Tester: "That's the first thing that I thought of too. Or maybe he did as told, and then they shut him up."

It is difficult to conceive of how incredibly callous and cruel you both must be to idly and lightheartedly speculate about the newly dead like that in such complete ignorance, in the presence of those who obviously cared about him.

In the unlikely event that facts mean anything at all to you, you might be interested to learn that USC was favored by 2 points and won by 14; thus, Mr. Danelo's play had no effect on the outcome.

[The Blitherer]

Thank you. I was feeling the same way.

[rintense]

His death is unfortunate, but stuff like this does happen in the real world. Call it callous and cruel all you want. Until the police know for sure, all things are possible.

[Shermy]

Eerie story--

I watched the Rose Bowl but would not have remembered the name Mario Danelo except that this week his name, Mario Danelo, was used in a David Letterman's Top Ten. I thought, why him? Why not a bigger name from the team, or Coach Carroll? Was it his play in the Rose Bowl? He did miss two easy PATs, but he made two field goals and the misses had no effect on the game's outcome. I wondered whether he did something off-field that I hadn't heard of to earn this attention.

Then last night I heard about his death, not long after seeing Dallas QB Romo actually make a game-deciding blunder. Angelo taking his own life came to mind...but why Letterman?

I think the Letterman connection is eerie, but post#67 shows Mario's father played for the New York Giants, so manybe Mario's name was prominent in New York media and this is how it came to Letterman's attention??

[Shermy]

Here's the Letterman list, Danelo is #1:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/living/16404357.htm?source=rss&channel=cctimes_living

DAVID LETTERMAN'S TOP TEN:

Top Ten Signs You're Watching Too Much College Football

10. During breakfast, you ask your son to pass the Nokia Sugar Bowl

9. Canceled family trip to Mexico, going to Boise State instead

8. Mailed nude photos of yourself to Brent Musburger

7. Insist on being called "Coach," even though you're a dentist

6. Told your daughter, "I'd love to go to your wedding, but the Northern Illinois-TCU is on"

5. Every time you walk 10 yards, three of your friends have to move the chains

4. Instead of a shower, you dump a bucket of Gatorade on yourself

3. Always asking, "What would Joe Paterno do?"

2. Your solution to Iraq -- "I dunno, a playoff system?"

1. In bed, your wife says, "Get a Trojan" -- you come back with USC kicker Mario Danelo

[RDTF]

very eerie, for sure. Maybe Letterman will address it.
And what a blunder by Romo last night. Then I heard about this and thought the same thing you did, but I'll wait to hear the ruling. Let's hope LA County surprises us and does a good job of investigating this tragic and sad death of this young man with so much promise.