Stan Van Gundy Opens Up On Shocking Death Of His Wife

Stan Van Gundy recently shared a heart-wrenching account of his life following the tragic loss of his wife, Kim. In a deeply emotional interview with Dan Le Batard on South Beach Sessions, Van Gundy bravely delved into the profound impact of Kim’s sudden passing last August.

"She took her own life, and I’ll never, I don’t care how long it goes, I can’t imagine that I’ll ever get over that… it was devastating. We’d been married for 35 years, and had been together for close to 40 years, since I was 24 years old … my entire adult life, I trace everything, job changes, kids, everything, I was with her and she was by my side."

"I never, ever envisioned that I was going to live another day in my life without Kim. I never envisioned that. And I knew she was going through a tough time, but I still never envisioned that happening. And even now, it’s been eight months and I struggle to come to grips with the fact that I’m never going to see her again, and I’m trying hard … to stay connected."

"But more than anything, to live her values. Because her values were better than mine. She taught me a lot, and I want to live her values and a life that she would be proud of."

"And my kids at times over the last eight months, not often but I think genuinely from their point of view, I’ll do something and they’ll say, ‘Mom would have really been proud of you for that one.’ And that above anything else really makes me feel good because my wife was an incredible person and the loss is huge."

"I was blessed with an unbelievable woman and a great family. And my responsibility in this life, my primary responsibility was and is to this day to take care of those five people, in every way possible."

Kim Van Gundy, Stan's wife of over 30 years, tragically took her own life, leaving Stan to grapple with an unimaginable sense of loss. Van Gundy candidly expressed the devastation he felt, describing Kim as an integral part of his life since he was 24 years old.

The couple had just returned from a blissful family trip to Europe and was relishing the joys of summer together when tragedy struck. Van Gundy revealed that he never envisioned a life without Kim and continues to struggle with the harsh reality of her absence.

"And my wife reached a point of despair and hopelessness and whatever else where her life and her life with me was not worth living anymore. And my responsibility was to take care of her and to give her a great life, and I failed in that."

"My therapist will tell me no, it was mental illness … on an intellectual level, I get that. I get that he’s right. But what I’m saying … is not that I’m correct in my feeling, but that is my feeling. And there’s a difference between my head knowing that this was a true illness going on with her, that’s different than what my gut tells me every single day."

"I can be on a Zoom call with my therapist and know what he’s telling me is right, and an hour later, it just doesn’t feel that way. That’s what I can’t reconcile, is the feeling. She was the kindest person that I have ever known."

"My wife was the person that, she would go into a room or be at an event and what she was always looking for is who was off by themselves? Who didn’t have anybody to talk to, and that’s where she would go immediately. We would be at these events and there would be all these people with big names and everything else, and she didn’t care about any of that." (45:00)

Despite his efforts, Van Gundy harbors a profound sense of guilt, grappling with feelings of failure in providing Kim with the life she deserved. While he intellectually comprehends her battle with mental illness, emotionally, he finds it challenging to reconcile his feelings of inadequacy.

In his journey to cope with Kim’s death, Van Gundy strives to embody her values and wisdom. Kim’s remarkable kindness and empathy have influenced Van Gundy to be more considerate and thoughtful in his public statements, particularly on social media.

Kim Van Gundy played an integral role in the family’s life and Stan’s professional endeavors. Her unwavering support during his tenure with the Detroit Pistons and active participation in community education projects in Florida resonate deeply with Van Gundy.

By openly discussing his grief and the profound impact of Kim’s death, Stan Van Gundy hopes to offer strength and solace to others grappling with loss. His resilience, dedication to family, and commitment to honoring Kim’s legacy epitomize his strength amidst personal turmoil as he continues his work as an analyst, calling the NBA’s Western Conference Finals for TNT Sports this month.

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