Former University of Michigan football star Craig Roh, 33, died on Monday after a secret battle with stage IV colon cancer, his wife has revealed.
Chelsea Roh, announced his death on X, formerly Twitter, saying her husband was diagnosed in August 2022 but wanted to keep the devastating news private.
“I wanted to let all of his followers know that after an 18-month battle with Stage IV colon cancer, God brought Craig home on Monday, February 26th,” she wrote.
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“Craig did not want to go public with his diagnosis and battle because, in true Craig fashion, he did not want the attention to be on him. From chemo, to targeted therapy, to clinical trials at MD Anderson and in Honduras, Craig was resilient till the very end,” she said.
Roh joined the University of Michigan in 2008 and was ranked the No. 7 defensive end in the nation.
He won the Sugar Bowl with Michigan in his junior year.
Roh was available for the NFL Draft in 2013 but was not picked up, deciding to join the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad.
He signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian league in 2018 and helped win the Grey Cup for his team.
Roh retired from football in 2021.
Tributes poured in on social media for the beloved football player. His wife has started a GoFundMe to help her cover medical expenses and for future schooling for their young son, Max.
More than $24,000 has already been raised for the family.
