Brad Stevens absence from Celtics bench

bbtds · January 07, 2016, 06:06:10 PM

I'm afraid the fact that Brad Stevens decided to fly to Indy today and not be on the Celtics bench can only mean one thing. It was announced with the fact that Stevens would be missing was that he was visiting a former Butler player. I'm afraid this means the relapse of Andrew Smith's cancer is getting to the point of calling in the friends and family so they can say good bye. A truly sad situation after all the fighting Andrew did to keep himself alive. My sincere apologies if I'm wrong. My prayers go for the Smith family and Andrew and his wife.

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/local-news/former-butler-basketball-players-family-asking-for-prayers

HC · January 07, 2016, 08:44:46 PM

This has been reported on several twitter feeds. Such a sad story. Cancer doesn't care who you are.

VULB#62 · January 12, 2016, 11:47:46 AM

Latest news reports now say "imminent death"

bbtds · January 12, 2016, 03:53:36 PM

Quote from: VULB#62 on January 12, 2016, 11:47:46 AM
Latest news reports now say "imminent death"

Fox59 reporting Andrew Smith's wife reports Andrew has passed. I pray for him, his family and friends and the Butler community that loved him.

http://fox59.com/2016/01/12/former-butler-basketball-player-andrew-smith-passes-away-from-cancer-according-to-wife/

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

Butler University released this statement following the announcement of Andrew's death:

"The Butler community is profoundly sad today with the news of Andrew's passing. We saw the way Andrew fought on the basketball court and we saw the way he fought for his health. In both cases, we saw the best of Andrew Smith. But that's what we always saw from Andrew. He gave his all, all the time. As an Academic All-American, he represented the best of Butler in the classroom and on the court. Above all else, what made Andrew special was the way that he genuinely cared for others. Within his large frame was an even larger heart. He is, was, and always will be a Bulldog. The Butler community is proud to have been part of his life, and our thoughts are with his wife, Samantha; his parents, Debbie and Curt; and the rest of his family."

vu84v2 · January 12, 2016, 04:45:39 PM

Best wishes to the Smith family, his friends and the Butler community. It seems like Andrew Smith was a great guy and represented everything that is good about college sports.

bbtds · January 12, 2016, 10:02:49 PM

https://fundly.com/stay-positive-for-andrew-smith

in case you feel a need to contribute directly to Samantha, Andrew's wife, and his parents

bbtds · January 13, 2016, 09:13:33 AM

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/butler/2016/01/12/former-butler-standout-andrew-smith-dies/78431700/

Former Butler University basketball player Andrew Smith died Tuesday after a long, public battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and later leukemia. He was 25.

Butler players will wear a patch on their uniforms for rest of the season in Smith's honor, featuring his initials and jersey No. 44.

Other than family, Samantha said, Brad Stevens called or texted Andrew more than anyone. The former Butler coach visited Andrew Smith when he traveled to Indianapolis with his Boston Celtics for a Nov. 4 game against the Indiana Pacers, and left the Celtics on Thursday to travel to Indianapolis and visit Smith.

"He was special — caring, fun, smart and the toughest person I knew. Never once complained through all of his medical issues," Stevens said in a text message to IndyStar. "I'm so proud to have known him."

Stevens' voice broke during his pregame talk Tuesday night before the Celtics' game in New York against the Knicks.

"You know, I was happy that I got a chance to say goodbye," he told Boston media. "And this is really about when you coach somebody, I mean, you get a lot more out of coaching them than they do from you, so ... that's that. I mean, I don't know. I could go on and on, and it wouldn't do him justice."

As a sophomore, Smith was inserted as starting center, allowing Howard to move to power forward. That lineup change by Stevens was a turning point in what became the Bulldogs' second run to the Final Four.

Butler's president James Danko said the back-to-back Final Fours gave the university a national profile.

"The move to the Big East would never have happened without that," Danko said. "Andrew was part of that team that made that happen. So his impact on the university is profound." (it also grew the enrollment from 4,000 to 4,800 on mostly the basketball accomplishment in a time when tuition was increasing and enrollments were shrinking for most private liberal arts colleges. Valpo has tried to grow enrollment also but has not come near that far)

bbtds · January 16, 2016, 06:39:09 AM

I found this interview with Andrew's dad, Curt Smith, on Indy's NBC station very touching.

http://www.wthr.com/clip/12144031/andrew-smiths-father

VULB#62 · February 03, 2016, 11:20:07 AM

Another tragedy has hit the Butler family.

Butler assistant coach's 6-month-old son dies of genetic disease.

More tragedy has struck the Butler men's basketball program. Assistant coach Emerson Kampen's 6-month-old son, Emerson IV, died Monday of a genetic disease.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaabk/butler-assistant-coachs-6-month-old-son-dies-of-genetic-disease/ar-BBp2Wgn

Heart goes out to the family.

bbtds · February 04, 2016, 05:39:53 AM

http://fox59.com/2016/02/03/butler-dedicates-win-to-kampen-family-following-his-infant-sons-death/

Holtmann during his press conference.

It really does hit the heart.

VULB#62 · February 04, 2016, 05:43:21 PM

And by extension it hits all college basketball people -- rivalries and fandom aside, we are all a big fraternity that shares some common values.

Brad Stevens absence from Celtics bench

HC