Amidst the NBA playoffs, the Celtics wear heavy hearts as Heather Walker died after fighting a battle with brain cancer, her friends and family announced Wednesday.
Walker, 52, had worked for the NBA organization for nearly two decades, joining Boston in 2006 and working her way to become the team’s vice president of public relations.
In 2021, she was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a rare and powerful form of brain cancer.
“These posts have never been easy, and this will be the hardest ever,” a post by Walker’s loved ones on the “Move 4 Heather” Facebook page on Wednesday reads. “Heather has let go and passed this morning at 5:43am. She isn’t fighting anymore and can finally rest. She is with so many who have gone before her that I’m sure she was welcomed with open arms. There is so much to say, but I just can’t right now. It hurts too much. I love you so much, Heather. The girls, too. Now it’s your turn to rest and be at peace.”
The diagnosis moved Walker to enoucrage others to take photo or video of themselves either doing something on their bucket list or simply being active, make a donation to the Heather Walker Fund that was set up to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and share the experience on social media while challenging three others to do the same.
The fund raised more than $500,000 over two years.
The Celtics also posted on social media in Walker’s honor, and replaced their Twitter and Instagram profile pictures to a pink heart with “HW” in the center along with a shamrock.
“Our hearts and sympathy are with Heather’s loving family and friends, whom she cherished. She will remain part of our fabric for as long as the Celtics go on,” the team’s statement read.
As a part of the Celtics organization and while receiving treatment, Walker was a big advocate for brain cancer research, and consequently started the Heather Walker Fund for Glioblastoma Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
“We will miss her for her energy, the joy, and laughter that followed her everywhere she went and we are grateful for everything she provided her Celtics family and the countless people that she positively impacted along the way,” the team wrote.
When President Joe Biden, whose son Beau died with glioblastoma at the age of 46 in 2015, was in Boston last year for his “cancer moonshot” plans aimed to cut cancer deaths in half within the next 25 years, he invited Walker along.
Walker is survived by her husband, Stephen, and their two daughters.
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