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Wife of Arkansas State football coach dies of cancer at 49

By Alex Butler

Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Arkansas State University football coach Blake Anderson announced Tuesday his wife Wendy has died after a fight with breast cancer. She was 49.

The school said Monday Anderson was taking a leave of absence from the team to be with his wife, just hours before she died.

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"My beautiful girl has gone home to be with Jesus," Anderson tweeted Tuesday. "No more pain, no more suffering, and praise him, no more cancer. She passed as peacefully and gracefully as you could ever hope just a few minutes before midnight with me laying right beside her.

"I have been so blessed to have her by my side each day for the past 27 years. Thank you so much to all who have walked, prayed, cried, and love her through this brutal 2-year battle. Praise him that she hurts no more, and is in his presence now and forever."

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Anderson's post had thousands of interactions with people offering condolences to the Red Wolves coach. Wendy Anderson, who turned 49 last Thursday, was diagnosed with cancer in 2017. Anderson tweeted that his wife was cancer-free the same year, before it returned.

Blake and Wendy Anderson married in 1992, and have two sons and a daughter. He was hired as Arkansas State's football coach in 2014.

The Red Wolves begin the 2019 season against SMU Aug. 31. Assistant coach David Duggan is serving as the team's interim coach until Anderson returns from his indefinite leave.

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