For the first time since the crash that changed so many lives, former NFL wide receiver Henry Ruggs faced the public—and addressed the family of the young woman he killed.
Standing before a crowd at a “Hope for Prisoners” event in Las Vegas, Ruggs, now 26, gave a quiet, emotional apology. It’s the first time he’s spoken openly about the 2021 crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog, Max.
A Moment Long in the Making
Ruggs, dressed in prison-issued clothing, looked different from the rising football star fans once cheered for on Sundays. His voice was calm but heavy as he answered a pointed question: what would he say to the family of Tina Tintor?
“I wish I could turn back the hands of time,” he said, his voice cracking slightly. “I would love for them to meet the real Henry Ruggs and not the one that was escaping from something. I sincerely apologize—not only for being a part of that situation, but because my face keeps popping up and forcing them to relive that pain.”
There were no theatrics, no excuses—just a man taking a moment to express something he can never undo.
The Crash That Changed Everything
It was the early hours of November 2, 2021. Ruggs was behind the wheel of his Corvette, driving 156 miles per hour on a Las Vegas street. He had been drinking—his blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit. Tina Tintor’s Toyota RAV4 was stopped at a red light when Ruggs slammed into the back of it. Her vehicle burst into flames. She and her dog were trapped inside. They didn’t survive.
The tragedy shook the NFL and the nation. It was preventable. It was devastating. It left a family grieving, and a promising young man behind bars.
Facing the Consequences
In May 2023, Ruggs pleaded guilty to DUI resulting in death and vehicular manslaughter. A few months later, he was sentenced to serve three to ten years in a Nevada prison. He’s now nearly two years into that sentence and won’t be eligible for parole until August 2026.
This recent appearance was a rare moment of openness from Ruggs, who has otherwise remained mostly silent. The court didn’t require him to attend the event, but he asked to come—and he spoke.
Trying to Make Sense of It All
Ruggs’s comments revealed a man still struggling to come to terms with what he did.
“I was escaping from something,” he admitted, hinting at pain beneath the surface but without using it to excuse his actions. “I’m still trying to understand how I let it happen.”
He spoke of accountability, of wanting to grow, and of hoping that maybe, in some small way, his apology would mean something to the Tintor family.
The Silence from Tina Tintor’s Family
Tina’s family hasn’t responded publicly to Ruggs’s words. After his sentencing last year, they described Tina as the light of their lives, and said her absence has left a hole nothing can fill.
They’ve made it clear they want her remembered for the joyful, kind-hearted person she was—not just as a victim of a senseless tragedy.
Whether Ruggs’s apology provides any comfort is uncertain. But his words, at the very least, mark a significant step for him—and perhaps one more reminder that choices have consequences, and that healing can only begin when someone takes responsibility.
What Happens Now?
Ruggs will return to High Desert State Prison to serve the remainder of his sentence. He continues to train, according to former teammates, and hasn’t ruled out a future in football. But for now, he remains a young man facing a painful reality—one he created and can never fully escape.
Whether the public—and more importantly, Tina Tintor’s family—can forgive him, remains to be seen. But today, he spoke. And that, in itself, was something new.
