Erik Spoelstra’s 2021-22 season with the Miami Heat may not have ended the way he wanted it to, as the team bowed out in 7 games to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, but he has plenty of reasons to celebrate right now. His 4-year-old son Santiago had been battling cancer for months, a fact not known to many outside the organization, and he received some very good news on that end recently.
His wife Nikki Sapp announced on Instagram that their son had finally entered remission as he rang the bell in the cancer wing at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. She thanked everyone who helped make this possible in what was a heart-warming post.
We can only imagine how difficult it would have been for Spoelstra to carry on coaching the team while his son was fighting this battle. It also gives more clarity on why he missed their game against the Nets in March earlier this year, as it was said to be for a medical procedure for one of his two sons. It was just the third game that Spoelstra had missed in his 14 seasons as head coach of the Miami Heat, and now we know just how serious it was.
Fortunately, things have worked out well for the family and especially young Santiago, who would have endured some very painful months along the way. The cancer was discovered during surgery, a day after his 4th birthday, and they’ll be thanking their stars that it was identified early, as Burkitt lymphoma is a quick spreading type.
This news also comes on the back of the family announcing last month that they’re expecting a third child, a girl, so they have a lot more to look forward to in the coming months.
