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Owner of Dave's Last Resort, haven for Steelers fans, shares grief after death of Dwayne Haskins

Steelers quarterback struck by dump truck, killed in South Florida
Posted at 10:05 AM, Apr 12, 2022
and last updated 2022-04-12 10:05:05-04

LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — Palm Beach County is more than 1,000 miles away from Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, but fan loyalty runs deep, and now many Steelers fans are trying to make sense of the tragic loss of Dwayne Haskins.

Dave's Last Resort in Lake Worth Beach is a rowdy atmosphere on any given Sunday when the Steelers play, but this weekend, the tone was much different.

"Everybody's asking a lot of questions. Everybody's looking for answers," Dave Palombo, the owner of Dave's Last Resort, told WPTV.

Dave Polombo, owner of Dave's Last Resort, shares grief about Dwayne Haskins
Dave Polombo is the owner of Dave's Last Resort in Lake Worth Beach, where Pittsburgh Steelers fans congregate on Sundays in the fall. Polombo says he's sadden, like other Steelers fans, about the death of Dwayne Haskins.

Palombo is a Pittsburgh native and die-hard fan. He is now trying to process the death of Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who was killed Saturday morning after being struck by a dump truck while trying to cross westbound Interstate 595 in Broward County.

"I mean, a young kid like that (who was) resurrecting his career and something tragic happens like this, it's total disbelief," Palombo said.

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Dwayne Haskins prepares to throw in preseason game vs. Carolina Panthers in 2021
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins plays against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of a preseason game Friday, Aug. 27, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C.

On Twitter, the Steelers posted a picture of the 24-year-old and said, "We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Dwayne Haskins. May he rest in peace."

The Pittsburgh Penguins also posted a photo on Twitter, after the team held a moment of silence in honor of Haskins before Saturday's hockey game.

"I was heartbroken, very sad," Daven Wentley, a Steelers fan, said. "I'm a Pittsburgh native."

Wentley said he was happy to see Haskins working out in Boca Raton this week with his teammates, but his death is like a punch to the gut.

"The team and the franchise will live on, but they're heartbroken, the Rooney family is heartbroken, (head coach Mike) Tomlin is heartbroken and, frankly, I'm heartbroken," Wentley said.

Now, Steelers fans are waiting to learn more about what exactly happened.

"The talent was there, and I think he could have done good things," Palombo said.