San Francisco 49ers receiving legend Dwight Clark has died after battling ALS, according to a tweet posted by his wife Kelly on Monday.
“I’m heartbroken to tell you that today I lost my best friend and husband,” Kelly Clark wrote, posting to Dwight’s verified Twitter account. “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. Kelly Clark.”
Dwight Clark was 61 years old.
Clark is known by football fans of all ages for being on the receiving end of “The Catch,” the leaping touchdown grab from Joe Montana with under a minute left in the game to win the 1981 NFC Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys.
The 49ers would win the Super Bowl two weeks later, against the Bengals.
Clark discovered he was afflicted with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or the disease known as ALS, in 2015; he announced his battle publicly in March 2017.
Last October, before ALS robbed Clark of the ability to walk, the 49ers held Dwight Clark Day at Levi’s Stadium, one last time for the fans who adored him to shower him with cheers.
#1: tpaine To: no gnu taxes, YALL, (#0)
Those were great days.
I think it was a year of so later that Clark opened his restaurant, --- Clark's by the Bay? ---- I forget, but it was one of our crowds favorite spots for a fairly good food and booze at decent prices. -- And for awhile, lots of the team hung out there..
Sad to hear he's gone.. I wasn't really aware that he had such a fatal disease...
tpaine posted on 2018-06-05 00:02:49 Reply Private Reply
#2: redleghunter To: no gnu taxes (#0)
redleghunter posted on 2018-06-05 01:21:55 Reply Private Reply
#3: tpaine To: redleghunter (#2)
He was a great guy and a great host at his restaurant.. And he will be greatly missed..
His catch broke my bookies heart..
tpaine posted on 2018-06-05 01:40:46 Reply Private Reply
#4: no gnu taxes To: redleghunter (#2)
no gnu taxes posted on 2018-06-05 07:22:56 Reply Private Reply
#5: Liberator To: redleghunter (#2)
A few reactions:
WHAT. A. CATCH.
Heckuva game that was back when the NFL playoffs were truly "Can't Miss" events.
You may have had your heart broken, but as a Giants' Fan, the evil Cowboy Dynasty needed finally to end :-)
That Dwight Clark died relatively young of what could be construed as "work-related" brain-damage. We are learning that there are way too many debilitating casualties of playing NFL football. (If Brady's smart, he'll quit real soon.)
I hope Dwight Clark's heart, spirit and faith were in the right place when he meets his Maker. How can we not be reminded at how very fleeting glory is as well as our earthly mortality?
Liberator posted on 2018-06-05 08:02:13 Reply Private Reply
#6: Liberator To: no gnu taxes (#4)
Liberator posted on 2018-06-05 08:03:51 Reply Private Reply