Ex Tennessee women’s head basketball coach Pat Summit’s condition has declined and her family and friends are preparing for the worst. Summit, a college basketball legend, was diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type, in August of 2011.
A source close to the family says, “I don’t think anybody knows whether she will last a day, a month, or a year.”
Summit has lived in a retirement home since early January and, as of Saturday, she had not been moved. The 64-year-old coach was surrounded by family and former players Saturday as plans were made to disclose her condition publicly.
Social media has been overrun with well wishes for the storied, beloved coach who finished her career with a 1,098-208 record; an impressive 84% winning percentage. She also led the Lady Vols to 8 national championships.
Summit received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in April 2012 from President Barack Obama and has been honored by the University of Tennessee as well as nationwide. The Vols and Lady Vols play on “The Summit Court” inside Thompson Boiling Arena and the Pat Summit Plaza on campus was dedicated in November 2013.
Flip the page for just a small glimpse into Coach Summit’s accomplishments.