Former Butler player Andrew Smith passes away

[FerryFor50]

You may recall Andrew Smith, a key contributor to Butler in the Duke/Butler national championship game.

In recent years, he's been battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma and leukemia. Over the past week, his former coach Brad Stevens took a leave of absence from coaching the Celtics to visit Andrew.

Now, we know why - he was on his last days.

http://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/story/butler-bulldogs-basketball-andrew-smith-cancer-stay-positive-day-011116

https://twitter.com/Samantha44Smith/status/687020528670867457

Sad to see someone lost so young.

[Duke95]

Very sad to hear. Lost a good friend very young to leukemia not long ago.

[Wander]

Tiny (irrelevant) correction: he didn't play much against Duke, or that entire 2010 season really. However, he was a really important piece of Butler's 2011 season, which of course also reached the title game. Honestly, I'd probably consider his Butler teams making consecutive title games as one of the most impressive feats in college basketball history.

[FerryFor50]

Tiny (irrelevant) correction: he didn't play much against Duke, or that entire 2010 season really. However, he was a really important piece of Butler's 2011 season, which of course also reached the title game. Honestly, I'd probably consider his Butler teams making consecutive title games as one of the most impressive feats in college basketball history.

Thanks for the correction. I recalled him being a key contributor, but got my years mixed up.

[Indoor66]

A life taken too soon. May he know peace and his family find some solace.

[jv001]

Prayers for his family. God bless them.

[WillJ]

Very sad.

[cspan37421]

Very sobering and sad.

Classy that Stevens took time off from his job to visit him. Reminds me of another coach we all appreciate.

Lost 2 friends in the last 13 months, both close in age to me (one 47, one 55). One had battled a rare cancer bravely for a few years, the other just disappeared overnight - heart attack.

As "too soon" as it was for those friends, Andrew Smith was about half their age - far too soon, poor fellow.

But wonderful that he had a loving spouse to hold him right to the end.