Off-White founder and Louis Vuitton artistic director Virgil Abloh died on Sunday morning following a private battle with cancer.
Abloh, whose impact on sports and culture was immense, had apparently been battling an aggressive form of the disease since 2019.
In a post on Abloh’s verified Instagram account, his family provided some additional details on what had happened.
“We are devastated to announce the passing of our beloved Virgil Abloh, a fiercely devoted father, husband, son, brother, and friend,” the post read. “He is survived by his loving wife Shannon Abloh, his children Lowe Abloh and Grey Abloh, his sister Edwina Abloh, his parents Nee and Eunice Abloh, and numerous dear friends and colleagues.”
Shortly after news of Abloh’s passing broke, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. offered a poignant reaction to his good friend’s death.
“I wish we lived in a world where we could celebrate the living instead of celebrating them when they leave,” he tweeted. “Rest In Peace to my brother Virgil! You were loved.”
Abloh’s silent two-year battle with cardiac angiosarcoma left many shook. It also served as an eerily similar reminder of what happened to Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman, who obviously also had a massive impact on sports and culture.
Beckham obviously often finds himself in the headlines for a lot of unfortunate and sometimes weird stuff, but it’s great that he was able to take a moment to honor his friend in such a respectful and emotional way.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
