Quick Facts
AquariusBiography
Pulu Poumele (January 31, 1972 – June 4, 2016) was an American gridiron football player and coach. He played as an offensive lineman in both the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Death
Poumele was playing basketball with friends at an Oceanside 24-Hour Fitness club on June 4 when he experienced a heart attack and collapsed. The Poumele family is claiming wrongful death in San Diego County Superior Court, alleging 24-Hour employees were unable to find the club's automated external defibrillator (AED). After the apparatus was produced, the lawsuit claims it was uncharged and unable to deliver a proper countershock.
Paramedics arrived, but were unable to resuscitate the 6’ 3”, 300-pound Poumele.
"Had they [employees] been available to help him and use an AED right away, he would still be alive today," family attorney Bibianne Fell.
Early and personal life
Born in Oceanside, California, Poumele attended Oceanside High School. Poumele was married with five children. His cousin was Junior Seau.
Playing career
Poumele played college football at the University of Arizona, before playing in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and San Diego Chargers, and in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts.
Coaching career
Poumele was the head coach at San Marcos in 2009, the head coach at El Camino for four seasons, and he later worked at Oceanside High School as a special education teacher and the defensive coordinator for the football team.