Wilson Holloway Honored and Remembered Monday

Originally Published: Feb 21, 2011 11:18 AM CDT

Wilson Holloway Remembered by Friends, Family at Vigil
Tulsa’s Wilson Holloway Loses Battle with Cancer

Layna Dewell
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

EDMOND, Oklahoma – Teammates, friends and family members gathered Monday afternoon to remember the life of former Tulsa Golden Hurricane football player Wilson Holloway.

Holloway died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer, but his spirit and smile will live forever.

Funeral services took place Monday at 1 p.m. at the Memorial Road Church of Christ in Edmond, the church Holloway attended.

After performing well in the NBA All-Star Weekend, Los Angeles Clippers star - and high school friend of Holloway - Blake Griffin attended the funeral of his best friend and served as a pall bearer.

Holloway and Griffin both attended Oklahoma Christian High School, where Holloway played football and basketball. The news of his best friend’s death has not been easy for Griffin who received the news of Holloway’s passing in a phone call after the Los Angeles Clippers win over Minnesota on Wednesday.

Griffin talked about his friend and teammate to ESPN and said he planned to see Holloway Tuesday as he set aside a ticket for him since the Clippers play against the Thunder that day in Oklahoma City.

Although Holloway has passed, memories of him are ever-present and he is constantly on the minds and in the hearts of many.

After winning the NBA Slam Dunk Contest this weekend in Los Angeles, Griffin dedicated the win to Holloway, a gesture that resonated with everyone watching.

In the spring of 2008, Holloway was diagnosed with Hogdkin’s Lymphoma. After undergoing several treatments and remissions, Holloway returned to game he loved before complications with the disease eventually ended his battle.

His courage was recognized in 2009 when he was given the Orange Bowl Courage Award.

Wilson Holloway will forever be remembered for his infectious smile, his positive outlook and enthusiastic spirit.

Although he is gone, Holloway’s inspiration lives on in the hundreds of lives he touched.