Posted on 06/04/2018 4:30:10 PM PDT by NohSpinZone
Dwight Clark, the dashing and charismatic wide receiver who played the starring role in The Catch, the most indelible and important play in 49ers’ history, died Monday at 61, 15 months after announcing he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Clark’s wife, Kelly, announced the news, via his Twitter account.
“I’m heartbroken to tell you that today I lost my best friend and husband,” Kelly Clark said. “He passed peacefully surrounded by many of the people he loved most. I am thankful for all of Dwight’s friends, teammates and 49ers fans who have sent their love during his battle with ALS.”
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
A great man, a hero and legend. RIP, Dwight. Glad you suffer no more.
I lived in San Jose when he made that catch...
RIP #87
What a shame. RIP.
I remember him as having an absolutely stunning girlfriend. I guess he married someone else as her name different than his wife.
“He passed peacefully surrounded by many of the people he loved most. I am thankful for all of Dwight’s friends, teammates and 49ers fans who have sent their love during his battle with ALS.”
...
For whatever reason ALS affects athletes disproportionately.
https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20020909/athletes-lou-gehrigs-disease
Not to mention the Niners in particular. There were three Niners who were all afflicted with ALS in a real short span of time in the ‘50s or ‘60s. Researchers actually had hope they could find a linkage or some clues at least from that. No luck, unfortunately. We are really no farther along than we were when this miserable $#@$#@ disease was identified more than 120 years ago.
My mother was no athlete, but she passed away after suffering from ALS for 5 years.
It was brutal watching her die.
As a Lifrtime Packer Fan and Stockholder, I am deeply saddened by this sad news..He was a Star!
RIP.
This is so sad.
My brother & I shared a lunch table with the man at a Boy Scout golf fundraiser in San Jose.
Felt embarrassed for him as he could not eat lunch with the random fans wanting hats, etc signed.
He was very nice about it, seemed genuinely flattered.
“For whatever reason ALS affects athletes disproportionately.”
I did not know that but now that I think about it, it makes sense. I worked with a girl in 1993 who was about as hot as a girl gets.
The interesting thing to me was watching her play softball. She threw just like a boy and was fine fielder. Basically the best girl’s softball player I have personally known.
I was saddened to learn she died of ALS last year in just her early forties.
So did I. Great time to be a 49er's fan.....
Greatest catch in the history of the game.
He joins another American hero...Lou Gehrig. RIP to both and all the others who succumb to this wretched malady.
I don’t like seeing anyone having to suffer years of severe debilitating decline. This guy and others folks have mentioned have gone through a terrible process.
We are all headed to decline, but some folks sure get the blunt end of it.
Here’s to more cures and less misery.
1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, & 1994 Champs.
As a nine year old i remember watching this game with my aunts and uncles. He stoked my love of football.
When he announced that he had ALS i had no idea it would take his so quick. I remember seeing him last year in a wheel chair but had no idea he would pass this quick. RIP Dwight Clark.....
Amen
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