Open Letter from the Stewart Family

Time to take a small break from the silliness of celebrity gossip:

The Stewart family released this beautiful letter today thanking fans everywhere who sent their thoughts and prayers after the passing of Vanessa Stewart. I wanted to share this with those of you who, though were not Kansas State Wildcat fans, have told me that you started following this story after reading about it on this blog. Mr. Stewart continues to make the trip up from Oklahoma to watch Clent play each home game, but seeing that empty seat next to him just brings a lump to the throat of every member of the Wildcat Nation.

Courtesy: Kansas State University

Release: 02/18/2008

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Senior guard Clent Stewart and his family released the following open letter to the Wildcat nation to thank them for their thoughts and prayers during the last few weeks.

Clent, Sr., Clent, Jr., and LaTori would like to offer our sincere thanks to everyone who has supported the family during our time of bereavement.

To the Kansas State Men Basketball Team – Your unyielding faith and support has inspired us and reminded us that God is in control and that He doesn’t make mistakes. He needed an Angel and has allowed Vanessa to spread her wings and answer His higher calling. Thank you for propping us up so we may continue to stand, and for allowing Him to use you to comfort us.

To the Kansas State University Family - "Thank You" simply isn't enough. Some of the best moments Vanessa had as she fought to stay with us were at KSU. She enjoyed the trips to Manhattan. She knew that there she would be able to set sickness aside, even if only for a short while. There she was allowed to cheer for her son and his "brothers from other mothers", and be a FAN. Thank you for giving her those moments. She will be front row forever. "GO CATS"!!!

To the Print and Televised Media (too many to name) - Thank you for bringing awareness to the public that the fight against Cancer is still being waged in the hospitals and hearts of those who have been touched. We pray that your coverage of Vanessa's battle will encourage others to join the fight.

To all our other relatives, friends, coworkers, and anyone who was touched by and supportive of our fight - THANK YOU AND WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

To anyone we failed to mention - please blame it on our heads and not our hearts. We sincerely appreciate all the kind words, deeds, thoughts, prayers, meals, and other acts of kindness offered on our behalf as we have grieved. This new journey will be difficult, but we are certain that with the determination Vanessa taught us and your support, we will be able to greet each new day and the challenges it holds with the strength to make it through.

Again, Sincere Thanks and Much Love,



The Stewart Family

Technorati Tags: Vanessa Stewart, Clent Stewart, open letter

Vanessa Stewart Tribute Video

As the Wildcat Nation knows Vanessa Stewart passed away last week. Here is a beautiful video created by the talented "RoyalPurpleYearbook" :

Technorati Tags: Vanessa Stewart, Kansas State University, Clent Stewart, KSU, Wildcats, tribute, college basketball

A Mother's Love--Vanessa & Clent Stewart

There was a wonderful article about the relationship between Clent Stewart and his mom. As I write this her funeral is going on and it seemed appropriate to share this with all of you....

NewsOK.com

Sat February 9, 2008

K-State's 'motivator' deals with tragic loss
By Andrea Cohen

Staff Writer


Clent Stewart drove from Manhattan, Kan., to Norman early Monday morning to tell his mother he loved her.

On her deathbed, she responded: "Play hard.”

Play hard. Study hard. These were messages Vanessa Stewart ingrained in her son as he was growing up in Tulsa. She passed her wisdom to Clent, now a senior at Kansas State, one last time on Monday. She died Tuesday after a long struggle with breast cancer.

"My dad called me Sunday at one in the morning to let me know she wasn't doing very well,” Stewart said. "He never told me ‘Come down here right now.' He said ‘Do what you have to do. Take care of your responsibilities.' That's exactly what my mom would say.”
Stewart left first thing Monday morning.

"I felt very fortunate that I got to tell her I loved her,” Stewart said Friday. "It's tough. She was a big inspiration in my life. We're trying to make it through.”

Stewart's Kansas State teammates flew to Norman Friday night to mourn with Stewart and his family, then turned around and flew back for this evening's game against Oklahoma State. Vanessa's funeral is this morning. The No. 20 Wildcats host OSU today at 5 p.m. Stewart said he does not plan to play today but hopes to return for K-State's game Wednesday in Lubbock.
Last week the Wildcats wore pink warmup tops in honor of Vanessa, and have sewn patches that say "V.S” onto their uniforms. Freshman Michael Beasley told the Kansas City Star that the team was thinking of Stewart the whole game.

"Clent is the motivator before the game, keeps us together during the game,” Beasley told the paper. "He does the little things as well as the big things. We showed we can play without him, but it's much easier when he's here.”

Stewart said his teammates' support — and the support of the Oklahoma basketball community he grew up in — has been amazing. His voice mail is full, and he's received about 80 text messages, including one from OSU sophomore Obi Muonelo, who played AAU ball a couple years behind Stewart.

Stewart, an excellent student at Tulsa Union, was offered scholarships by Stanford, Vanderbilt and Tulsa. He chose Kansas State in large part to stay close to his mom, who was diagnosed with cancer when he was in high school. Regular fixtures around Union, the Stewarts also made most K-State home games.

"You couldn't ask for a better person to be supporting your program,” Union basketball coach Rudy Garcia said. "To raise a son like Clent — he's the kind of guy we talk to our guys about now. He's a great leader, a great human and a reflection of her.”

The last game Vanessa attended was K-State's historic win over Kansas last month.
"That being the last game she got to see means everything,” Stewart said. "My coach awarded me with the game ball afterward. He said ‘With everything he's going through and how he played he deserves it.' I let her know that and it meant so much.”

Garcia has remained close to the family even after they moved from Tulsa to Norman. He said Stewart is like a son to him and calls "when he's unsure about things.” He said the timing is especially heartbreaking given K-State's basketball situation. Stewart went to K-State when the program was near the bottom of the Big 12. Stewart is now a starter on a 16-5 team challenging for the conference title and should play in the NCAA Tournament.

Said Garcia: "I was praying his mom would be around to see him do that.”

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.