New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday is set to miss the start of the 2016-17 season as his pregnant wife, ?former US women’s national team soccer player Lauren Holiday, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.
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Holiday, who retired from competitive soccer a year ago, will have surgery six weeks after giving birth. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor in late June.
After the story made its round on social media early Sunday morning, the well wishes began to pour in from Lauren Holiday’s former teammates, fans, media and NWSL clubs.
Holiday, who is married to National Basketball Association point guard Jrue Holiday and is pregnant with the couple’s first child, will undergo the surgery six weeks after she gives birth. While her timetable suggests an October birth is most likely, she could have an induced birth in September in order to treat the tumor more quickly.
NOLA.com first reported the news.
“Lauren has her good days and her bad days; some are better than others”, Jrue told the Times-Picayune. His absence will be a blow to the Pelicans, who were expected last season to build upon 2014-15’s playoff appearance, but instead finished the season 30-52. Holiday was an All-Star with the Sixers in 2013 but has struggled with injuries since being traded to New Orleans. “We’ll continue to do everything we can to support them and help them get through these hard times”.
He said he and Lauren ‘are still very excited about the birth of our first child, but our focus shifted from having this magnificent blessing to making sure everything is going to be OK with Lauren and the child’.
After her operation, Jrue will be a primary caretaker for both his wife and their daughter.
“The most important thing for Jrue to do right now is be with his wife and family”, Gentry said in a statement released to NOLA.com. “She comes before anything else”.
“The most important thing for Jrue to do right now is be with his wife and family”, Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said in a statement.
Lauren, midfielder, played in 133 games for the USA team, scoring 24 goals. He averaged 16.8 points, six assists and 1.4 steals in 65 games past year. His 2015-16 season ended early due to an orbital wall fracture on his right eye suffered during a game.?He expects to return this season in full health.
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It remains to be seen when Holiday’s wife will give birth.
