NFL Legend Peyton Manning honors Demaryius Thomas

Peyton Manning and the Peyback Foundation partnered with Georgia Tech to provide scholarships for students from Laurens County in honor of Demaryius Thomas.

April 29, 2022

Cameron Branscomb,

DEXTER, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Peyton Manning and the Peyback Foundation partnered with Georgia Tech to provide scholarships for students from Laurens County in honor of Demaryius Thomas.

Demaryius Thomas, a Laurens County native and West Laurens High School graduate, died suddenly at the age 33 in December of 2021.

Manning played alongside Thomas with the Denver Broncos for four years, winning a Super Bowl in 2016.

The endowment will provide full and partial academic scholarships for incoming freshman from the area.

Principal of West Laurens High School, Dr. Dewana Kemp, said that the scholarships will give hope to students who thought college may be out of reach financially.

In honor of Thomas, Georgia Tech has named August 8 Demaryius Thomas day.

Thomas wore number 8 during his time at Tech and wore number 88 in the NFL.