On Thursday, Chad Ochocinco emotionally recalled the late Chris Henry in the Bengals locker room.

As he recounted how proud he was that Henry had turned around his life before dying from injuries sustained in an auto accident on Wednesday, the often outspoken Ochocinco choked back tears.

Ochocinco told reporters, “Chris was a very good, very good friend of mine. We were extremely close. It’s sad to see that it’s come to this point.”

Ochocinco said he spoke with Henry on Tuesday night, less than a day before the accident.

He was visibly shaken by Henry’s loss, saying, “He was doing everything right. He’s been doing everything right. My grandma always says you never really question the man upstairs on decisions he makes because he never makes mistakes but I don’t see how Chris was supposed to go already, especially when you’re on the right path.”

(article source: USA Today, photo source: NFL Soup)