FRISCO, Texas – Football took a back seat on Thursday.
Luke Laufenberg, the son of former Cowboys quarterback and current radio broadcaster Babe Laufenberg, lost his fight with cancer Thursday morning. He was just 21 years old.
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett is a longtime friend of Luke, Babe and the entire Laufenberg Family. Garrett was understandably emotional Thursday as he spoke briefly to reporters about his friend's life.
"Luke was an amazing young man. You guys have heard me talk about 'Fight' a lot. I don't know that I've ever a better example of that in my life.
"What he's gone through the last couple of years, the spirit that he had every day. To battle through it, to always be thoughtful about the people in his life – 'How's my mom doing, how's my dad doing, how's my brother doing?' Amazing.
Luke Laufenberg was diagnosed with Burkitt, a rare form of leukemia, in late 2017. He was pronounced cancer free back in May of 2018, but he had battled complications in the time since.
On Thursday morning, Babe Laufenberg posted a statement about his son.
"Today we lost a son, a brother, a friend and a warrior," he said. "Have never seen a person battle like Luke Laufenberg, but he lost his fight with cancer. He was truly inspirational. The hole in our hearts will never be filled. You are my hero. RIP my sweet Luke. See you on the other side."
Garrett did not take any questions Thursday. But in concluding the press conference, he echoed those sentiments.
"It's such a tragedy, and it's so hard to understand," Garrett said. "But I know that I will, and anybody that ever knew him, will be forever inspired by the life that he lived."
