Idaho had bad news to share last week when it announced wide receiver Collin Sather had been diagnosed with kidney cancer last month. Today, it came back with worse news. Sather has passed away.
“Collin was a tremendous young man and a great teammate,” Vandals head coach Paul Petrino said in a statement. “It is a testament to him to see how many of our players cared so deeply about him and how many lives he touched in the Vandal Family in such a short time. We challenge our players to be tough and always choose character. Nobody did a better job of that than Collin. My time with him made me a better person and I know his teammates feel the same way.”
Sather, who redshirted in his first year with the Vandals last season, began experiencing stomach pains on Jan. 17 and was hospitalized four days later. The Spokane, Wash., native underwent dialysis and chemotherapy at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane. Despite such treatment, the cancer eventually spread from his kidneys to his lungs and his neck.
“On behalf of the Vandal Family, our deepest condolences go out to Collin’s family and loved ones,” interim AD Pete Isakson said. “Collin made a profound impact on the lives of those he touched throughout our department and across the campus community. The loss of a 19-year-old is difficult to comprehend and we are here for anybody who needs help during this challenging time.”
Sunday was his 19th birthday.
