David R. Forney, a 22-year-old U.S. Naval Academy midshipman and Navy football offensive lineman, is being remembered for his leadership, perseverance and commitment to his teammates following his unexpected death in February 2020.
Forney, a native of Walkersville, Maryland, was a senior at the Naval Academy and had already established himself as an important member of the Navy football program. He died on February 20, 2020, after he was found unresponsive in his room in Bancroft Hall. The U.S. Naval Academy said at the time that the cause of death was under investigation and that foul play was not suspected.
His death brought grief to the Naval Academy, Navy football, his family and the many teammates and classmates who knew him.
Years later, his memory remains part of the Navy football program. The academy continues to honor Forney by keeping his No. 68 jersey number connected with senior offensive linemen, ensuring that his name remains part of the team’s history.
Remembering David R. Forney
David Forney was more than a football player.
He was a son, brother, midshipman, teammate and friend who had spent years preparing for a future of military service.
Those who knew him at the Naval Academy remembered qualities that extended well beyond the football field.
Following his death, Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Sean Buck described Forney as someone whose passion, intellect and perseverance helped him not only understand the game but also encourage those around him to become better players and midshipmen. His fellow midshipmen also remembered him as a leader who was willing to accept challenges and get the job done.
Those descriptions help explain why his loss affected so many parts of the academy community.
Forney had become part of the daily rhythm of Navy football and life at the academy. His classmates knew him from Bancroft Hall and academic life, while teammates knew him through practices, meetings, travel and competition.
His death therefore left an absence that reached well beyond the football program.
David Forney Dies at 22
David Forney died on February 20, 2020, at the age of 22.
The Naval Academy reported that he was found unresponsive in his room in Bancroft Hall by another midshipman. A CPR-certified midshipman began resuscitation efforts at the recommendation of first responders who were traveling to the academy. Forney was then transported to Anne Arundel County Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 11:28 p.m.
At the time, officials said the cause of death was being investigated.
The academy also stated that foul play was not suspected.
Because the circumstances surrounding his death were not immediately established, the Naval Academy focused its public response on supporting Forney’s family, friends, classmates, coaches and fellow midshipmen.
That approach allowed the people who knew him to grieve while authorities continued their work.
A Navy Football Offensive Lineman
Football was a major part of Forney’s life at the Naval Academy.
He played offensive guard for the Navy Midshipmen and was a senior member of the 2019 team.
According to Navy Athletics, Forney was a three-year varsity letter winner who played in 39 consecutive games during his final three seasons. In 2019, he started all 13 games at guard and was part of an offensive line that helped Navy establish a school rushing record while leading the nation in rushing at 360.5 yards per game.
The 2019 season was particularly memorable for Navy.
The Midshipmen won 11 games, captured the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, shared the American Athletic Conference West Division title and won the Liberty Bowl. Forney was recognized with First-Team All-American Athletic Conference and First-Team All-East honors.
His contribution was therefore part of one of the strongest seasons in the program’s recent history.
But statistics and awards tell only part of the story.
Offensive linemen often receive less public attention than quarterbacks, running backs or receivers, yet their work is fundamental to a team’s success. Forney’s role required discipline, physical commitment and trust in the teammates working beside him.
David Forney’s Final Season With Navy
Forney’s senior season in 2019 represented the culmination of years of work.
He had become an established member of the offensive line and was preparing to graduate from the Naval Academy in 2020.
Navy’s official records say he was scheduled to graduate on May 22, 2020, and was due to serve as a cryptologic warfare officer following graduation. He was also a political science major and a member of the academy’s Ninth Company.
That planned transition from college football and academy life into military service made his death particularly difficult for those who knew him.
There was a future he had been preparing for.
He had completed years of demanding academic and military training.
He had established himself as a respected football player.
And he was approaching graduation.
His death came only months before that milestone.
A Leader On and Off the Field
The tributes from the Naval Academy emphasized qualities such as leadership, perseverance and determination.
Forney’s coaches and fellow midshipmen remembered someone who could step forward when challenges appeared.
That leadership was reflected in his role as an experienced senior player.
Football at the Naval Academy is different from ordinary college football. Players are simultaneously students and members of a military institution, balancing athletics with demanding academic and professional responsibilities.
Forney’s ability to succeed in that environment was part of what made his accomplishments meaningful.
His teammates depended on him not only as an offensive lineman but as someone who understood the responsibility that came with being a senior member of the team.
From Walkersville to the Naval Academy
David Forney was from Walkersville, Maryland.
He graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School in 2015, before continuing his education at the United States Naval Academy. Navy’s records identify him as a Maryland native and note his connection to Georgetown Prep.
His journey from Maryland to Annapolis reflected a path built around academics, athletics and service.
For his family and hometown community, his achievements at the Naval Academy represented an important part of his young life.
He had taken on an extraordinary challenge by choosing to attend the academy and prepare for a career as a Navy officer.
David Forney’s Family
Forney was the son of Rick and Erika Forney.
He is survived by his parents and three siblings: Chris, Erik and Rebekah.
His family was among those who received support from the Naval Academy following his death.
For a family, losing a 22-year-old son and brother is a loss that extends far beyond any athletic accomplishment.
The football records, awards and academy honors become only one part of the memories they carry.
David’s family would also remember the person behind those accomplishments—the son and brother who grew up in Maryland, attended school, formed friendships and eventually made his way to Annapolis.
The Naval Academy Mourns
The U.S. Naval Academy community responded to Forney’s death with an outpouring of support.
The academy said its Brigade of Midshipmen, faculty, staff and coaches were heartbroken by the unexpected loss. Counseling and support services were made available to members of the academy community as they dealt with the death.
The response reflected the close-knit nature of life at the Naval Academy.
Midshipmen live, study and train together in an environment where classmates can become an important part of one another’s lives.
When a member of that community dies unexpectedly, the impact can be felt throughout the institution.
Forney’s teammates and classmates therefore faced the difficult task of mourning while continuing their academic, military and athletic responsibilities.
A Funeral With Military Honors
The Naval Academy later honored David Forney with a funeral and burial service at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel.
The ceremony included military honors, reflecting both his status as a midshipman and his commitment to a future in naval service. He was buried at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery.
Images from the ceremony show members of the Naval District Washington Ceremonial Guard carrying his flag-draped casket and participating in the formal military honors.
The service provided an opportunity for the Naval Academy community to gather and remember a young man whose life had been closely connected to the institution.
Navy Football Keeps His Memory Alive
Perhaps one of the most enduring tributes to David Forney has come through Navy football.
His jersey number, 68, has been kept in use as a memorial honor.
Navy Athletics says a senior offensive lineman is assigned No. 68 each season in memory of Forney. The tradition began in 2021, when Pierce Banbury became the first senior offensive lineman to wear the number in his honor. Later players who wore No. 68 included Kip Frankland, Lirion Murtezi, Connor McMahon and Ben Purvis.
In 2026, Navy again referenced the tradition, with senior offensive lineman Hoke Smith II wearing No. 68 in Forney’s memory.
The tradition gives Forney a continuing presence within the football program.
Every season, another senior offensive lineman carries the number onto the field.
It serves as a reminder that the players who come through Navy football become part of a history that extends beyond their individual seasons.
A Legacy That Continues Through No. 68
Forney’s No. 68 represents more than a number.
It connects current Navy players with a teammate who died before he could complete his planned transition into military service.
The tradition also creates an opportunity for younger Midshipmen to learn about the person behind the number.
His accomplishments are preserved in Navy’s records.
His name remains associated with the successful 2019 season.
And his family continues to be remembered by the academy community.
In this way, the tradition surrounding No. 68 has allowed Forney’s memory to remain part of Navy football years after his death.
Remembering David Forney Beyond Football
It can be easy for an athlete’s obituary to focus heavily on statistics, awards and accomplishments.
Forney’s story, however, was about more than football.
He was preparing for a career as a Navy officer.
He was a political science student.
He was a son and brother.
He was a classmate and teammate.
He was a young man preparing to graduate and begin the next chapter of his life.
His football career was an important part of who he was, but it was only one part.
The people who knew him personally carry memories that cannot be captured in a box score or a season record.
Those memories are ultimately what keep a person’s story alive.
David R. Forney Obituary Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | David R. Forney |
| Age | 22 |
| Hometown | Walkersville, Maryland |
| Naval Academy Status | Midshipman 1st Class, senior |
| Navy Football Position | Offensive guard |
| College Team | Navy Midshipmen |
| High School | Georgetown Preparatory School |
| Major | Political science |
| 2019 Recognition | First-Team AAC and First-Team All-East |
| Date of Death | February 20, 2020 |
| Location | U.S. Naval Academy, Bancroft Hall |
| Cause of Death | Under investigation at the time; foul play not suspected |
| Parents | Rick and Erika Forney |
| Siblings | Chris, Erik and Rebekah |
| Military Honor | Funeral and burial with military honors |
| Memorial Tradition | Navy football No. 68 |
David Forney’s Lasting Legacy
David Forney was only 22 when his life ended.
Yet in those 22 years, he had already accomplished things that would shape how he was remembered.
He became a Naval Academy midshipman.
He became a senior offensive lineman for Navy football.
He helped anchor an offensive line during a historic 2019 season.
He earned conference honors.
He prepared for a career as a cryptologic warfare officer.
And he built relationships with teammates, classmates, coaches and friends.
His story did not end with the final football game he played.
It continued through the people who knew him and through the traditions created in his memory.
The No. 68 jersey remains one of the clearest examples.
A Young Life Remembered
The death of a young person often leaves people thinking about everything that might have come next.
For Forney, there was supposed to be a graduation.
There was supposed to be a commissioning and a military career.
There were more football seasons to watch from the sidelines.
There were family milestones and personal experiences that his loved ones expected to share with him.
Those possibilities ended far earlier than anyone anticipated.
Yet his existing accomplishments and the memories he left behind remain.
His teammates can remember the player who stood beside them on the offensive line.
His classmates can remember the midshipman they knew at the academy.
His family can remember the son and brother behind the uniform.
And Navy football can continue carrying his memory through No. 68.
Final Tribute to David R. Forney
David R. Forney’s life was defined by service, football, family, leadership and determination.
A senior Midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy and a standout Navy offensive lineman, he was preparing to graduate and begin a career in naval service when he died unexpectedly at 22.
The Naval Academy continues to remember him through formal honors and through the Navy football tradition of assigning No. 68 to a senior offensive lineman in his memory.
His death remains a deeply painful chapter for his family, friends, teammates and the wider Naval Academy community.
But his legacy continues through the people who knew him, the accomplishments he achieved and the traditions created in his honor.
David Forney will be remembered not only for what he accomplished on the football field, but for the dedication, leadership and promise he brought to his life as a Midshipman.
May his family, friends, former teammates and fellow Midshipmen continue to find comfort in his memory.
May David R. Forney rest in peace.