Former NFL star Aldon Smith’s 13-year-old son is listed as the sole beneficiary of his property in court documents filed nearly two months after the athlete’s sudden death at 36.
The paperwork identifies Aulis Smith, Smith’s only son, as the beneficiary, according to a new TMZ report. Smith was unmarried when he died, and no other children are identified in the filing.
The documents disclose that Smith left personal property but do not reveal what those assets include or how much they are worth. They also do not establish that the estate has already been distributed to Aulis.
Smith’s family continues seeking answers about his June 13th death. No official cause has been publicly announced, and his relatives have arranged for his brain to be examined for chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other possible damage associated with repeated head trauma.
Smith Died Hours After Helping Feed People Experiencing Homelessness
According to TMZ’s report on the court documents, information submitted by Aulis’ guardian identifies him as the only beneficiary of Smith’s property. Smith’s obituary also identifies Aulis Faustino Smith as his “beloved son.”
Smith died unexpectedly on June 13th after spending part of his final day helping deliver pizzas to people experiencing homelessness in California’s Bay Area. His friend Amir Shirazi said the two helped bring food to a local outreach effort before making several additional stops.
Shirazi later found Smith unresponsive in a truck outside his Los Gatos home. Smith was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, where he was pronounced dead. As detailed in ABC News’ report, Smith’s family subsequently hired attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers and Wayne Kendall to conduct an independent investigation into his death.
“As with anyone who dies so suddenly at such a young age, we understand that there is a great deal of interest in and speculation about Aldon Smith’s passing and we intend to get to the bottom of it,” the attorneys said in June.
His Brain Was Donated for CTE Research
Smith’s family also arranged for his brain to be sent to the Boston University CTE Center. The Associated Press reported that his relatives wanted specialists to examine it for chronic traumatic encephalopathy as well as other possible damage linked to years of concussions and repeated head trauma.
The family said Smith experienced multiple concussions during his football career. There is currently no evidence establishing that CTE or another brain condition caused or contributed to his death. His family’s attorneys described the examination as one part of their broader effort to understand what happened.
Smith Became an NFL Star Almost Immediately
The San Francisco 49ers selected Smith seventh overall out of Missouri in the 2011 NFL Draft. He immediately emerged as one of the league’s most dangerous pass rushers, recording 14 sacks as a rookie.
Smith followed with 19.5 sacks during the 2012 regular season, a 49ers franchise record. That performance earned him first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors as San Francisco advanced to Super Bowl XLVII. His career was repeatedly interrupted by suspensions and legal problems in the years that followed.
After leaving the 49ers, Smith played for the Oakland Raiders before spending several years away from the NFL. He returned with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 and recorded five sacks in 16 games. Smith later signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2021 but did not play another regular-season NFL game. He finished his career with 52.5 sacks in 75 regular-season games.