Ryne Sandberg health struggles following cancer diagnosis explored as he dies at 65

Baseball legend Ryne Sandberg, who was a second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies and later the Chicago Cubs, passed away on Monday, 28 July. According to USA Today, Ryne Sandberg died from the complications of metastatic cancer, a condition he had been battling for the past year. His death was announced in a statement released by his family, which read:

“It is with heavy hearts, we announce that Ryne passed away tonight in the comfort of his home. Ryne was surrounded by his loving wife Margaret, their children, and grandchildren. We thank you for all of the kind words, support, and love during this difficult time. Ryne will forever be in our hearts."

Ryne Sandberg was born on 18 September 1959, in Spokane, Washington, to parents Elizabeth and Derwent Sandberg. He rose to fame with his brilliant performance in the June 1984 game against the St. Louis Cardinals, where he hit two home runs to help the team to victory. He later went on to achieve further success, winning nine consecutive Golden Glove Awards before retiring in 1997.

More about Ryne Sandberg's health issues explored, as MLB Hall of Famer passes away

According to ESPN, Ryne Sandberg had been suffering from cancer since last year. Back in January 2024, Sandberg announced that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. According to MLB, it was later announced in May that he was responding well to treatments, despite the original diagnosis being incurable. He wrote on Instagram, saying:

"After yesterday's PET scan and MRI tests, great news today with NO detection of Cancer! This is after finishing Chemo treatments, and headed to radiation for several weeks since the original diagnosis was incurable cancer, but to keep at very minimum has been the goal since treatment started. We have made it to that goal and we'll continue treatments as we are 'Crushing it' to Win the battle."

Following the proper diagnosis, just six months later, in August of the same year, Ryne Sandberg announced that he was doing well, stating that he was cancer-free. The news of it was released through a post on Instagram. It read:

"Rang the Bell this morning! WE did it, WE won! What a Dream Team, family, doctors, friends, nurses, fans who supported myself and Margaret through the last 8 months! We feel so blessed from all the love, prayers and thoughts and positive words that have come our way! Modern medicine has come a long way so once again early detection is important. Annual doctor visits! Time to celebrate!"

However, in December, his health took a turn for the worse. An update on his cancer diagnosis was shared with his loyal fans. Ryne Sandberg announced that the cancer had returned and that the recent checkup revealed that it had spread to other organs. He also stated that he would soon be starting intensive care. He said:

"To my Chicago Cubs, National Baseball Hall of Fame, the city of Chicago, and all my loyal fans, I want to share an update on my prostate cancer. Unfortunately, we recently learned the cancer has relapsed and it has spread to other organs. This means that I’m back to more intensive treatment. We will continue to be positive, strong, and fight to beat this. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for me and my family.”

Ryne Sandberg, who had quietly been undergoing treatment, took to Instagram just last week, on 16 July, to update them about his health struggles. He thanked his fans for their continued support, stating that he was going to keep fighting, despite the "challenging few months" he had been through. He said:

“It’s been a challenging few months as I have been going through treatment on a regular basis. While I am continuing to fight, I’m looking forward to making the most of every day with my loving family and friends."

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Ryne Sandberg, who was sixty-five years old at the time of his death, is survived by his wife, two children, and several grandchildren. His death is now being mourned by his former teammates and fans all over the world.

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