Brad Stevens skips Celtics game to rush to ex-player’s bedside
By Post Wire Report
January 8, 2016 | 10:49am
Former Butler center Andrew Smith with coach Brad Stevens, now in charge of the Celtics, in 2012. Photo: AP
Celtics coach Brad Stevens missed Thursday night’s loss to the Bulls to visit cancer-stricken former Butler center Andrew Smith, who played for Stevens on the Bulldogs’ two runs to the national championship game.
Smith has been battling non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and was scheduled to undergo a bone marrow transplant Thursday, according to The Boston Globe.
Smith’s family made a renewed call for prayers this week after the 25-year-old was readmitted to the hospital in seemingly dire condition.
“Please pray. Pray so very hard,” his wife, Samantha, posted on Facebook and Twitter. “We need a miracle & Andrew asked me to have you all rally with us in prayer in this moment.”
Smith’s father, Curt, thanked Stevens for visiting his son.
“Obviously something changed because we just found out this morning, but it says a lot about him,” Celtic center Tyler Zeller said, according to the Boston Globe. “His players, his staff, he values very much. He felt like this was something he needed to do and that family is bigger than one game. You have to respect him a lot for that.”
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Brad Stevens to miss tonight's Bulls game, travelling to Indiana to visit former player http://www.celticsblog.com/2016/1/7/10733476/brad-stevens-will-miss-tonights-game-vs-the-bulls?utm_campaign=celticsblog&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter … pic.twitter.com/cmVvexFfwT
By Post Wire Report
January 8, 2016 | 10:49am
Former Butler center Andrew Smith with coach Brad Stevens, now in charge of the Celtics, in 2012. Photo: AP
Celtics coach Brad Stevens missed Thursday night’s loss to the Bulls to visit cancer-stricken former Butler center Andrew Smith, who played for Stevens on the Bulldogs’ two runs to the national championship game.
Smith has been battling non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and was scheduled to undergo a bone marrow transplant Thursday, according to The Boston Globe.
Smith’s family made a renewed call for prayers this week after the 25-year-old was readmitted to the hospital in seemingly dire condition.
“Please pray. Pray so very hard,” his wife, Samantha, posted on Facebook and Twitter. “We need a miracle & Andrew asked me to have you all rally with us in prayer in this moment.”
Smith’s father, Curt, thanked Stevens for visiting his son.
“Obviously something changed because we just found out this morning, but it says a lot about him,” Celtic center Tyler Zeller said, according to the Boston Globe. “His players, his staff, he values very much. He felt like this was something he needed to do and that family is bigger than one game. You have to respect him a lot for that.”
CelticsBlog @celticsblogBrad Stevens to miss tonight's Bulls game, travelling to Indiana to visit former player http://www.celticsblog.com/2016/1/7/10733476/brad-stevens-will-miss-tonights-game-vs-the-bulls?utm_campaign=celticsblog&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter … pic.twitter.com/cmVvexFfwT
