Vanessa Stewart Passes Away

Vanessa Stewart passes away

The Wildcat nation was so saddened to hear about the passing of one of our own, Vanessa Stewart. Vanessa is the mother of Clent Stewart; a leader on and off the basketball court. Clent is not only a heck of a good basketball player; he is an excellent student, a perennial Academic All-Big 12 team member and a reflection of the great parenting he received from his Mom and Dad.

Vanessa was always in the crowd, smiling and sporting the colorful head scarves she had to wear after losing her hair--first dealing with breast cancer and then bone cancer. She lost her brave fight with Stage 4 bone cancer and died Tuesday afternoon. Even while battling her illness Vanessa was a fixture at Bramlage Coliseum during Clent’s four years at Kansas State. She was in the crowd to witness the Wildcats' historic win over Kansas last Wednesday. Immediately after the buzzer sounded, Clent ran up in to the crowd to embrace her as his teammates celebrated on the floor.

Earlier this season in a profile in The Manhattan Mercury, Stewart said of his mother, "She's my inspiration. I don't know of anyone with more courage than my mother."

In a Q&A section in the KSU media guide, Stewart was asked what he would do if he won a $1 million lottery: "Help find a cure for breast cancer,"

Asked what person he would like to switch places for a day, Stewart said, "My mom. She's been through so much. I would like to see the world as she views it."

A moment of silence was held in Vanessa Stewart's memory prior to the 7 p.m. tipoff. The K-State coaching staff wore pink ribbons on their left chest, while players wore pink warm-ups and sported a black round patch bearing her initials on their jerseys:

Several fans also wore pink.

"Stew has never let anybody know how much hurt and pain this whole experience has been on him, that's what makes him such a great kid," Martin said. "Even though for the last two or three years he has been battling this privately, he has never allowed anybody publicly to realize it or let it affect who he is publicly."

Martin said he doesn't expect Stewart, who has made 110 appearances in his career — more than any other Wildcat — to return to the team until Sunday.

The team will fly to Norman later this week to visit Stewart and attend a viewing.

"We're going to go down there Friday as a team, and let him know that we're here for him, and how important he is to us," Martin said.

Vanessa Stewart's funeral is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday. The Wildcats won't be able to attend because they have to be back to Manhattan for a 5 p.m. game against Oklahoma State


MANHATTAN, Kan. – Funeral services for Vanessa Stewart, mother of senior guard Clent Stewart, will be held at 9 a.m., Saturday, in Norman, Okla., the family has announced.

Mrs. Stewart passed away Tuesday after a long and courageous battle with bone cancer. She is survived by her husband, Clenton Sr., and sister Phyllis Weaver both of the home; daughter LaTori (Brian) Carter, Norman, Okla.; son Clenton Jr., of Manhattan; grandson Jordan LeGrand Carter; her mother Evangelist Ernestine Weaver of Forrest City, Ark.; sisters Cheryl (Wendell) Starr; Jackie (James) Brown, brother Daryl Weaver all of Kansas City, Kan.; sister Anika Anderson (Sven) Hack of St Louis, Mo.; and sister-in-law Kathy Stewart of Forrest City, Ark.

Services will be held at the Crosspointe Church, 2601 SE 24th Avenue in Norman. Interment will follow at the Warren Cemetery in Norman. Services are under the direction of Havenbrook Funeral Home of Norman.

Memorial donations may be made to the Cancer Care Center of Norman. Condolences may be sent online at www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com/Obituaries.htm.