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“He was hospitalized and underwent hip surgery; unfortunately, complications arose. He fought valiantly but was unable to overcome his injuries,” the University of Georgia said in a statement, per the outlet.
PEOPLE reached out to the University of Georgia for comment and did not immediately receive a response.
In the statement, the Smart family also expressed their gratitude for the Ochsner Medical Center and thanked their staff in New Orleans “for the exceptional care provided to Sonny.”
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He continued: “And I always watched the way he prepared our teams and our staff in high school. He was a very wise man, a man of few words. I tried to follow his mantra as a coach.”
Others have expressed their condolences and paid tribute to Sonny.
South Carolina coach Shane Beameroffered his condolences on X, saying his “heart hurts for the Smart family,” and adding, “We’re sending prayers to all of them. God Bless them all.”
source: people.com
