Hank Gathers died of heart trouble after fainting on the court during a basketball game featuring his Loyola Marymount University team. While it came tragically premature, Hank Gathers died in a manner that every human on this earth deserves. He died doing something he loved with people he cared about. Even in death, Hank Gathers remains an inspiration.
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Hank Gathers is the subject of a forthcoming book, Heart of a Lion.
He was that rarest of human beings- he was both extraordinary and a hero.
Hank's legacy is in the more stringent protcols used in sports medicine to test athletes in the wake of his death and the presence of a portable defibrilltor at all sporting events.
On March 4,1990 a team lost its leader, a mother lost a son,a young man lost his father and a nation lost a hero.
Many youngsters have chased hoop dreams- but none did so at greater risk than Hank. He continued to play basketball while being treated for a serious heart condition. He did so to keep his promise to earn enough in the NBA to get his family out of the "worst slum in America."
Ultimately, after a series of lawsuits settled large sums on his survivors -he kept his promise.
Hank continues to inspire others who admired his work ethic, his loyalty and love for his family and his commitment to keep his word at grave risk to his health.
"Hank died the way he wanted to go. He died with applause ringing in his ears," said LMU's Lane Bove years later.
RIP Bankman.RIP.
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