Tragedy struck during a tournament at the Texas Card House in Dallas on Sunday when one of the players passed away. Mark “Doc” Toulouse was playing the $300 NLH tournament when he collapsed and died at the table.
Todd Witteles reported on the issue for PokerFraudAlert. He explained that Mark was taken to a local hospital where he passed away. “When the incident occurred, players were already in the money,” Witteles stated. “Mark’s stack blinded out, and he officially finished in 26th place, for a cash of $1,475.”
Meanwhile, the tournament confirmed to PokerNews that Mark suffered a heart attack. They blinded his stack since they didn’t know his status, but will now reach out to his family to ensure they get his money.
His biggest win came in 2022 when he won the TCH $250K GTD End of Summer event
Toulouse was much-loved within the poker scene, securing lifetime tournament earnings of $551,944. He turned his attention to poker after retiring as an Emmanuel College professor in 2017. His biggest win came in 2022 when he won the TCH $250K GTD End of Summer event for $89,197.
Many in the poker community have shared their memories of Mark, including renowned TD Matt Savage:
His family said they are “a bit shell shocked,” describing him as “simply the very best.” They said on social media that they are pleased they got to spend Christmas together. Service details will be shared by the family once they are finalized.