Former Butler University basketball player Andrew Smith lost his battle with cancer Tuesday, his wife, Samantha, announced on Twitter.
Andrew peacefully passed away in his sleep and in my arms as I told him I loved him this morning. Love you always, Smith.
— Samantha Smith (@Samantha44Smith) January 12, 2016
Smith had been fighting non-Hodgkin lymphoma (and later leukemia) for over a year, but he recently took a turn for the worse. Smith’s declining condition led Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens, who previously coached him at Butler before joining the Celtics, to leave the team briefly last week to visit him.
Smith was 25 years old.
UPDATE (5:10 p.m. ET): Stevens tweeted a message to Smith after learning of his passing.
To the toughest guy I ever met – Thank you, Andrew. We love you and will always be inspired by you.
— Brad Stevens (@BCCoachStevens) January 12, 2016
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@Samantha44Smith
