Getty Chris Lindstrom of the Atlanta Falcons
Last fall, Atlanta Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom finished the season as the only guard across the entire league to allow zero sacks through 17 games.
However, such an impressive season didn’t come easy for Lindstrom, who lost his mom, Dawn, to cancer before Week 16’s matchup against the Detroit Lions.
You would have never known that Linstrom was playing with such a heavy heart since he didn’t miss a game, nor would you have known that he spent his evenings after each game by her side.
Lindstrom Got “the Call” During His Rookie Year
In honor of shedding light on the NFL’s Crucial Catch mission to detect cancer early in under-resourced communities, Lindstrom publically shared his mother’s story.
Lindstrom revealed that he first got “the call” that his mom had been diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer right before the start of rookie camp.
“It’s a surreal feeling when that hits you,” Lindstrom said. “You don’t know how to react.”
.@C_Lindstrom63 lost his mother to cancer in 2021
Let him share her story and how his family honors her, by being Lindstrom Strong
What’s so beautiful about this tribute video is that a 2019 interview with Linstrom’s mom was incorporated into it as well.
“Something that made her incredibly happy was just watching me play football and living out my dream. She was checking in always. Proud of every single Sunday to go out there,” he said.
Dawn said she was “always” Chris’ supporter and taxi cab driver, but most importantly, she was the one he leaned on.
“After a hard day, Chris knew he could come to me and he could just relax and be himself,” she said in 2019.
NFL’s Crucial Catch Hits Close to Home for Lindstrom
Dawn finished her first round of treatment at the end of Chris’ rookie year, but a CT scan showed that the tumor was still there. And that’s when the doctor told her she had two years to live.
“By that point, it was the offseason,” Chris said. “So, to be able to go and sit at those meetings with her and watch the toll it took on her, but really… the toll it took on the whole family and how hard that is to hear.”
Once practice ramped up again, Chris opened up to his coaches and teammates and received a substantial amount of support from them, and even from the city of Atlanta.
Last November, prior to Dawn’s passing, was the last time that Lindstrom really saw his mom as herself.
Head coach Arthur Smith let Lindstrom miss practice to go be with her. From there, Chris says is when things got really bad and they were told that she had just two weeks to live.
It was Week 15 for the Falcons and they were out in San Francisco. Chris played and then flew right to his mom, who passed away the following night.
“Every high or every moment that you get really happy and she’s not there…you want to celebrate with her. For every high, it’s really an unequal low and that’s probably one of the most challenging things my family faces with it.”
While Dawn isn’t physically in the stands cheering her son anymore, Chris still feels her presence.
“My dad always texts me all the time that she’s at the games,” he said. “So, it’s something for sure that she’s always with me.”
Every October the NFL honors cancer fighters. You’ll see a logo on the league’s official footballs, uniforms, hats and cleats.
All 32 teams hold special events to support individuals and families who have been impacted by cancer. This month hits close to home for Chris.
“People’s prayers and thoughts help power them through in their own individual fights to know that they’re not alone,” he said. “Hopefully, that can make an impact on their own fight and for their families.”