Flowers from "Celebration of Life" Given to Alzheimer's Patients

Random Acts of Flowers partnered with Alzheimer's Tennessee to repurpose the flowers from the Pat Summitt "Celebration of Life." Volunteers picked up the flowers from Thompson-Boling Arena, deconstructed the arrangements and created 372 bouquets that were delivered to Alzheimer’s and memory care patients in East Tennessee.

Executive Director for Random Acts of Flowers Knoxville branch, Jennifer Sheehan, says it is a great opportunity to brighten the day of someone else.

"We are humbled and honored that we are able to take her flowers and mix them with other flowers to create some beautiful bouquets that will serve close to 300 folks," Sheehan says.

Sheehan's father went through Alzheimer's and she says many of his friends were not sure how to act around him, creating a lonely time for their family.

"For those who receive flowers," Sheehan says, "even if they don't understand quite the meaning of it, for their caregivers and their family, for them they realize they haven't been forgotten. This disease robs you of your dignity, it robs you of your friends and family. So I hope they realize that they live in a community that cares about them and wants to be apart of their treatment."

The Final Season: The Perseverance of Pat Summitt by Maria Cornelius

With 1,098 wins and eight national championships, Lady Vol Coach Pat Summitt has left a remarkable legacy of perseverance, leadership, and passion for the game—but her victories on the court aren’t the only legacy she has left in her wake.

Since the beginning of her career as Lady Vol head coach at twenty-two years old, Pat Head Summitt effectively established the University of Tennessee Lady Vols as the top women’s athletics program in the nation. The winningest coach in the history of NCAA basketball, Summitt overcame one obstacle after another on the road to every victory, but it is the lives she has impacted along the way that tell the story of her true legacy. Forever a role model for young women, expecting nothing but the best from her players and from those around her, her legacy has never faltered—not even during her final season as head coach, when she faced her fiercest adversary yet: the diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

In The Final Season: The Perseverance of Pat Summitt, Maria M. Cornelius tells the story of her final coaching season through the eyes of those who know her best, from players to support staff to Summitt’s closest friends and advisors. Beginning with the diagnosis that shook the Tennessee community in the summer of 2011 and continuing through to the final game of the 2011–12 season, The Final Season presents readers with a behind-the-scenes look at the conclusion of Summitt’s coaching career, detailing from the perspective of a sports writer how her diagnosis impacted her players and her staff as well as her fans.

With forewords by former Lady Vol Candace Parker and Swish Appeal editor Mike Robinson, The Final Season reveals how Summitt’s remarkable story of perseverance not only united a team of young women but also brought an entire sports following together, revealing an incredible support system that spanned far beyond Summitt’s Tennessee community. The coach’s determined spirit, selfless love, and sense of humor shine through the pages of Cornelius’s book, painting for readers the picture of a beloved leader and detailing the personal moments of defeat and triumph that make Summitt a true champion.

Watch Pat Summitt: Celebration of Life Service

Celebration of Life service for Lady Vol Basketball Head Coach Emeritus Pat Summitt, streamed live from Thompson-Boling Arena on July 14, 2016 at 7pm.

Watch Two Tributes to Pat Summitt

The Tennessee and Lady Vol family reflects on the passing of legendary coach Pat Summitt and her enduring legacy.

Eight national championships. 1,098 total wins. A 100 percent graduation rate. But Pat Summitt's legend transcends numbers. It transcends sport, gender and all things quantitative. As we mourn this immeasurable loss, we also celebrate Pat's unparalleled impact.

Fans Join Volunteer Greats at Event Honoring Hoops Legend Pat Summitt

Pat Summitt was remembered as a loving mother, a loyal friend and a tireless fighter as well as a champion coach Thursday in a public ceremony honoring the person who built the Tennessee women's basketball dynasty.

"She was the epitome of what being great is all about,'' said Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings, one of the dozens of former Lady Volunteers who paid respects to Summitt at a "Celebration of Life'' ceremony at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Catchings later added that "this is not a goodbye, but until we meet again.''

The ceremony at Thompson-Boling Arena gave the public a chance to honor Summitt, who won eight national titles and a Division I record 1,098 games in her 38-year tenure.

A private funeral was held June 30, two days after Summitt died at the age of 64.

Flowers mark a seat in Thompson-Boling Arena before a ceremony to celebrate
the life of former Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt.

The list of speakers included recently retired quarterback Peyton Manning, a former Tennessee football star who called Summitt "someone who literally changed history.''

Manning said the only pieces of sports memorabilia he keeps in his office are two basketballs Summitt signed for his children.

Manning discussed visiting Summitt late in her fight against Alzheimer's disease, when she couldn't remember Manning's name. He talked about attending Summitt's private funeral and hearing from former Lady Vols star Chamique Holdsclaw, who told him that even as Summitt's memory faded, the coach still could point to the screen when one of Manning's games or commercials aired on television and would say, "That's my friend who comes to visit me. There goes my friend.''

"Pat Summitt didn't just change the history of Tennessee basketball or made this arena known well beyond the borders of this state,'' Manning said.

"She changed the history of the sport she loved -- and of sports in general. She almost singlehandedly made women's sports relevant well beyond mothers, daughters, sisters and grandmothers.''

Thursday's event attracted Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and a star-studded list of women's basketball coaches that included Connecticut's Geno Auriemma, who served as Summitt's greatest rival.

They were among several thousand spectators to honor Summitt at an arena where she orchestrated some of her greatest victories. The stage for Thursday's event included each of the Lady Vols' eight national championship trophies plus a stool and whistle used by Summitt, who coached Tennessee from 1974 to 2012.

Fans withstood an afternoon downpour as they waited to enter the arena. The distance traveled by many of them underscored the way Summitt built Lady Vols basketball into a national brand.

Former Tennessee basketball player Tamika Catchings, right, speaks during a ceremony
to celebrate the life of former Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt. 

Patti Stephen drove more than 700 miles from Teaneck, New Jersey, to pay her final respects. She packed a lunch in her car and arrived on campus more than seven hours before the start of the ceremony to make sure she got a seat in the arena.

"I've been a Lady Vol fan for a long time, and it felt like I just needed to be here,'' said Stephen, who wore a T-shirt, hat and a set of bracelets bearing the message "We Back Pat.''

Speakers included "Good Morning America'' anchor Robin Roberts, current Tennessee coach Holly Warlick and former Lady Volunteers assistant Mickie DeMoss as well as Summitt's son, Tyler Summitt.

"For or all of us that in some way have been influenced by Pat Summitt, she wouldn't just want us to remember her example,'' Tyler Summitt said. "She would want us to go out and follow it. So let's not just celebrate her legacy. Let's carry it on.''

The ceremony had plenty of somber moments.

A videotape that aired during the event showed Warlick and former Lady Vols guard Michelle Brooke-Marciniak in tears as they described what Summitt had meant to them. The event opened with a bagpipe rendition of "Amazing Grace.''

"Tyler told me that's his mom's favorite song,'' Roberts said. "How appropriate. Two words that describe her (so well): Amazing. Grace.''

But it also included some laughter. Shelley Sexton-Collier, who played on Tennessee's 1987 national championship team, joked that she thought she was playing for Tennessee's cross country team because Summitt made them run so often. Warlick talked about how Summitt loved to drive fast and talk her way out of speeding tickets.

Warlick also had the crowd break into a rendition of "Rocky Top'' as the arena's video screens showed a tape of Summitt singing that song while wearing a cheerleader uniform before a Tennessee men's basketball game.

The eight national championship trophies won by former Tennessee women's
basketball coach Pat Summitt stand in front of the stage in Thompson-Boling Arena.

The list of women's basketball coaches at the ceremony featured Stanford's Tara VanDerveer, North Carolina's Sylvia Hatchell, South Carolina's Dawn Staley, Notre Dame's Muffet McGraw, Baylor's Kim Mulkey, Rutgers' C. Vivian Stringer, former Georgia coach Andy Landers and former Texas coach Jody Conradt among others.

Also in attendance were current SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, former SEC commissioners Mike Slive and Roy Kramer, Tennessee football coach Butch Jones, Duke football coach David Cutcliffe and former Tennessee football coaches Phillip Fulmer and Johnny Majors.

They came to honor everything Summitt achieved off the court as well as on it.

"The real accomplishment of Pat's life is this -- you won 1,098 games and eight national championships, and what people talk about in the end is it's not about how much you win but how much you did for others,'' said DeMoss, now an LSU assistant.

UT Student Paints "The Rock" to Honor Pat Summitt

As the life and legacy of Coach Pat Summitt are being celebrated Thursday night, a special tribute was made on campus in her honor. Artist and rising UT senior Payton Miller says it took about seven hours to spray paint the mural on "The Rock."

“I hope it’s a good way to commemorate Pat and it’s a proud moment for me as artist,” said Miller.

Miller says she normally doesn’t sketch her paintings but she wanted to make sure this one looked extra perfect. The UT senior described how she’s able to accomplish all the details.

“I did a couple of sketches to come up with this, so I started at 9:30 last night with about 30 cans of spray paint and worked till 4:30 this morning,” said Miller.

“I go in from the beginning and do some color blocking, outline first, then block color then I go in with details,” said Miller. “I also do highlights and low lights and with each painting I do I learn a little more about how to do it especially with faces.”

Miller says Pat Summitt is the first woman she has painted on "The Rock."

“I think if anyone deserves to be tributed on "The Rock," it’s definitely Pat Summitt,” said Miller.

Celebration of Life Service for Pat Summitt - July 14 at 7 p.m. - Televised on ESPN2 and SEC Network

A Celebration of Life service for Lady Vol Basketball Head Coach Emeritus Pat Summitt will take place at 7 p.m. ET on July 14 at the University of Tennessee's Thompson-Boling Arena. The public is invited, and admission is free.

Doors to the arena will open at 5:30 p.m. ET, and the general public may enter through Gates B, C, D and E with the usual ADA entrances also available. Attendees are asked to be seated and silence their cell phones by 6:30 p.m. ET so the program can begin promptly at 7.

We understand that those typically attending athletic events at Thompson-Boling Arena are accustomed to following guidelines that are standard for sporting events. While Thursday's Celebration of Life event is taking place in a UT athletic venue, it's important to remember that it is not a sporting event. It is the Summitt family's public memorial for a loved one.

In consideration of other guests, no signs will be allowed in the arena. Additionally, no photography of any kind will be permitted during the event. The public may view the official event photos in a gallery on utsports.com following the service.

Live video streaming of any kind also will be prohibited inside Thompson-Boling Arena on the day of the service (no Periscope, Facebook Live, etc).

For those unable to attend, the service will be streamed live on UTSports.com and on PatSummitt.org. The live stream page will be available July 14 on UTSports.com, and video of the event will be archived on UTSports.com afterward.

The service is slated to be televised nationally on ESPN2 and SEC Network, and several local TV stations throughout the state also are expected to carry the event.

Pat Summitt Commemorative Tee Available from The Pat Summitt Foundation

Go to http://patsummitt.shgstores.com/apparel-106606.cfm to purchase the only official Pat Summitt Commemorative Tee from The Pat Summitt Foundation. Help us defeat Alzheimer's!

Private Funeral Held for Pat Summitt

An orange scarf is placed around the statue of Pat Summitt before a candlelight vigil at the
Pat Summitt Plaza, Wednesday, June 29, 2016, in Knoxville, TN. Summitt, the winningest coach
in Division I college basketball history who uplifted the women's game from obscurity
to national prominence during her career at Tennessee, died Tuesday. She was 64.

A private funeral service for former Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt was held Thursday.

Erin Freeman, who has been acting as a spokeswoman for the Summitt family this week, confirmed that the funeral took place Thursday in Clarksville, Tennessee. When Summitt died Tuesday at the age of 64, her family had issued a statement saying a private ceremony would be held in Middle Tennessee without disclosing a date or exact location.

Tennessee coach Holly Warlick, who played for Summitt and worked as an assistant on her staff for 27 seasons, tweeted Thursday that "She has been laid to rest. ... Godspeed Pat. ... Godspeed. U r home."

About 30-35 of Summitt's former Tennessee players as well as many of her former assistant coaches attended the private ceremony. The group of former players included Michelle Marciniak and Chamique Holdsclaw, who discussed the service via social media.

Holdsclaw said in an Instagram post that the service was "so beautiful."

"It was so good to see our Lady Vol family," Holdsclaw wrote. "We are going to miss you in the physical, but we should all know we have an angel pulling for us 24/7. I'm going to miss the great hugs you give. Sleep in peace."

Holdsclaw noted that Marciniak gave one of the eulogies. Marciniak tweeted that "eulogizing Pat Summitt today (was) made easier with LVFL (Lady Vol For Life) support. Pat told us, 'Trust me,' and we did."

Summitt won eight national titles and a Division I record 1,098 games in 38 seasons at Tennessee before stepping down in 2012, one year after announcing she had early-onset dementia, Alzheimer's type.

A public ceremony to celebrate Summitt's life is scheduled for July 14 at Thompson-Boling Arena on Tennessee's campus. Thompson-Boling Arena includes the Lady Volunteers' home court, which is named after Summitt.

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Gov. Haslam, Former Players Attend Private Funeral for Pat Summitt

Well-known Tennesseans and former basketball players attended a private funeral for Pat Summitt Thursday.

The service was held in Clarksville, Tennessee, according to Summitt spokesperson Erin Freeman. Those in attendance included Gov. Bill Haslam, Peyton Manning, and generations of former players.

Summitt’s niece spoke during the funeral, and Dr. Chris Stephens of Knoxville’s Faith Promise Church delivered the eulogy.

Summitt passed away Tuesday at the age of 64. The legendary Lady Vols coach had a long and successful career at the University of Tennessee, which spanned 38 years.

Flags over the Tennessee Capitol and state offices were lowered in Summitt’s honor Tuesday. They were to remain that way until sunset Thursday.

The Pat Summitt Foundation to Sell Memorial Tee, Warns Against Counterfeits

The Pat Summitt Foundation announced Thursday it will begin selling a memorial T-shirt Friday honoring the Lady Vols legend’s life and career. Nearly all of the proceeds will benefit the foundation’s work in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.

The shirt’s design will not be officially unveiled until Friday. It will be available for purchase in retail stores across the state for a limited time and online at The Pat Summitt Foundation’s website. Bacon and Company President Jed Dance handled the design, production and distribution at no cost to the foundation.

The Pat Summitt Foundation also advised people on Thursday to be wary of multiple memorial shirts being sold online without permission to use Summit’s legally protected name and claiming to benefit the foundation. Foundation officials say they have contacted those selling the shirts, but have not yet received a response.

Summitt died Tuesday at 64, five years after her diagnosis with early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type.

Honoring Pat Summitt

A Celebration of Life service for Pat Summitt will be held at 7 p.m. July 14.

The service is open to the public and will take place at Thompson-Boling Arena on the University of Tennessee campus. No other details were released.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has ordered the flags over the state capitol and office buildings lowered to half-staff through sunset Thursday in honor of Summitt.

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero tweeted Tuesday that the Henley Bridge lights would be changed to orange, white and blue Tuesday night "in remembrance of Coach Summitt's deep devotion to Knoxville."

Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett asked Tuesday that flags at all Knox County properties be lowered to half-staff in honor of Summitt.

Celebration of Life Service Honoring Pat Summitt Set for July 14

A Celebration of Life Service that will be open to the public will honor Pat Summitt on Thursday, July 14, at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The service is set for 7 p.m. More details will be provided at a later date.

Tyler Summitt's Statement on the Death of His Mother

Tyler Summitt released this statement about the passing of his mother, Pat Summitt:

“It is with tremendous sadness that I announce the passing of my mother, Patricia Sue Head Summitt.

She died peacefully this morning at Sherrill Hill Senior Living in Knoxville surrounded by those who loved her most.

Since 2011, my mother has battled her toughest opponent, early onset dementia, ‘Alzheimer’s Type,’ and she did so with bravely fierce determination just as she did with every opponent she ever faced. Even though it’s incredibly difficult to come to terms that she is no longer with us, we can all find peace in knowing she no longer carries the heavy burden of this disease.

For 64 years, my mother first built her life upon a strong relationship with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Her foundation was also built upon love of her family and of her players, and love of the fundamentals of hard work which reflected her philosophy that ‘you win in life with people.’

She was the fourth of five children – Tommy, Charles, Kenneth and Linda – born to Richard and Hazel Head on June 14, 1952, in Clarksville, Tennessee.  Her tireless work ethic and her love of the game of basketball were created during the time she spent growing up on the family farm.

She’ll be remembered as the all-time winningest D-1 basketball coach in NCAA history, but she was more than a coach to so many – she was a hero and a mentor, especially to me, her family, her friends, her Tennessee Lady Volunteer staff and the 161 Lady Vol student-athletes she coached during her 38-year tenure.

We will all miss her immensely.

A private service and burial will be held for my mother in Middle Tennessee.  I ask that you respect the privacy of that time.

We are in the process of finalizing the details of a public celebration of her life which will take place in one of her favorite places, Thompson-Boling Arena. Once those details are finalized, we will share them with you.

Thank you.”

Pat Summitt Has Passed Away

Pat Summitt, who built the University of Tennessee's Lady Volunteers into a perennial power on the way to becoming the winningest coach in the history of major college basketball, died today.

Her death came five years after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. She was 64.

Summitt battled the disease with "fierce determination just as she did with every opponent she ever faced," her son, Tyler Summitt, said.

"Even though it's incredibly difficult to come to terms that she is no longer with us, we can all find peace in knowing she no longer carries the heavy burden of this disease," Tyler Summitt said.

In her 38 years at Tennessee, Summitt won eight national titles and 1,098 games -- the most by any Division 1 basketball coach, male or female. Her teams made an unprecedented 31 consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

Beyond the wins and the statistics, Summitt had a profound impact on women's college athletics.

When she became head coach of the Lady Vols in 1974 at the age of 22 -- barely older than some of her players -- the NCAA did not even formally recognize women's basketball. Summitt had to drive the team van to road games herself.

As the wins and the championships piled up, Summitt's astonishing achievements commanded national attention and helped usher women's basketball into the spotlight.

"She'll be remembered as the all-time winningest D-1 basketball coach in NCAA history, but she was more than a coach to so many -- she was a hero and a mentor, especially to me, her family, her friends, her Tennessee Lady Volunteer staff and the 161 Lady Vol student-athletes she coached during her 38-year tenure," Tyler Summitt said.

Current Lady Vols Coach Holly Warlick credited Summitt with playing a "very significant role in molding me into the person I am."

"Pat gave me strength and courage to face anything," Warlick said. "She was driven to perfection and always remained true to her standards. That meant doing things the right way, no matter what. In my eyes, there's never been anyone better than Pat Summitt."

Obituary from The Pat Summitt Foundation.

Sign the official guestbook.

Please consider donating to The Pat Summitt Foundation.

Knoxville Pays It Forward Hosting Turn the World Orange Event

As legendary Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt's health continues to worsen, local organization Knoxville Pays It Forward is showing its support by encouraging everyone to wear orange in her honor on Friday, July 1, 2016.

The group organized a similar event when Summitt was first diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, using the hashtag #WeBackPat to show support. Now, Knoxville Pays It Forward encourages everyone to invite their friends to join in on Friday to express their support for Summitt and her family.

The group has set up a public Facebook event called Turn the World Orange and urges everyone to join the event and pass along the word to everyone they know. Click here to learn more about the event.

Ackermann PR Releases Statement on Former Coach's Condition

The family of former Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt released a statement Sunday confirming recent reports she is going through a "difficult" time in her battle with Alzheimer's disease.

On behalf of Pat Summitt’s family, we acknowledge the past few days have been difficult for Pat as her early onset dementia, ‘Alzheimer’s Type,’ progresses," the statement read. "She is surrounded by those who mean the most to her and during this time, we ask for prayers for Pat and her family and friends, as well as your utmost respect and privacy. Thank you.

The statement was released by Erin Freeman of Ackermann Public Relations.

The Knoxville News Sentinel previously reported Summitt's loved ones were "preparing for the worst."

The 64-year-old was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2011. She retired from coaching following the 2011-12 season and has the title of head coach emeritus in Knoxville. Tennessee won eight national championships and made 18 Final Four appearances during her tenure.

Her health has steadily declined since her diagnosis. While she completed a full season as a coach following the diagnosis, longtime Lady Vols announcer Mickey Dearstone gave insight into her worsened state in a March interview with CBSSports.com' Dennis Dodd.

“I’m not sure that she knows who I am unless I tell her,” Dearstone said. “People that were really close to her, it’s really sunk in.”

The average life expectancy of someone diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease is eight to 10 years, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Tyler Summitt Resigns from LA Tech

Tyler Summitt, the son of legendary former Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, resigned as head coach of Louisiana Tech today. He released the following statement through the school:

It is with great regret that I resign from my position as head coach of the women’s basketball program at Louisiana Tech University,” he said in a statement released by the university Thursday. “I am profoundly disappointed in myself for engaging in a relationship that has negatively affected the people I love, respect and care about the most. 

My hope, plans and prayers are to repair those relationships. I am appreciative of the opportunity I was given to coach at Louisiana Tech. I am heartbroken that my time has ended in Ruston, [Louisiana], but because of my respect for the institution, it is best that I resign. I am hopeful the media and the public will respect the privacy of my family and me as we deal with this difficult situation I have caused.

Swish Appeal, which is SB Nation’s women’s basketball blog, reports that Summitt impregnated an unnamed player on the team.

Summitt is 25 years old and married, and this was his second season coaching Louisiana Tech women’s basketball team. Prior to getting that job, he was an assistant at Marquette from 2012 through 2014.

Pat Summitt No Longer at Her Own Home

Pat Summitt is staying at "an upscale retirement resort," her son, Tyler Summitt, told the News Sentinel. Pat Summitt announced in August of 2011 that she had been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease.

She moved there in late January while her regular home underwent renovation and is enjoying her stay at what Tyler Summitt described as "her home away from home."