The linebacker and Brittany Burns got engaged in December, shortly after she was diagnosed.
Buffalo Bills linebacker Tony Steward has some touching words for his late fiancée.
Steward proposed to 26-year-old Brittany Burns shortly after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer on Dec. 9. They had been together for nearly four years, but, sadly, the NFL player announced on Tuesday that Burns had died.
"Brittany Ann Steward! Wow BEAUTIFUL is the only way I know you," Steward later wrote on Instagram. "You have the biggest heart I have ever seen in my entire life and I promise you that it will live on in me, our family and every single soul you have touched."
The 23-year-old linebacker went on to say his fiancée had the "strongest" and "most loving" soul. "You have been my rock, my motivation, my heart, my soulmate, my everything since the day I laid eyes on you," he continued. "I will continue to be the person that you always bring out in me. Believe me when I say that I deeply love you with every ounce of everything in me. Love always, Your Fiancé"
The couple met when they were both student-athletes at Clemson University in South Carolina. Shortly after Burns' diagnosis, Steward popped the question. "Long overdue but it can be argued that it was the perfect moment for two people to be united as one," he wrote on Instagram.
Just a week later, he called his new bride-to-be, "Without a doubt one of if not the strongest, bravest, big hearted women I know."
Together, the couple created a Crowd Rise fundraising page, the Fight Like a Girl campaign, in hopes of turning it into a full-fledged charity dedicated to helping other women who are battling ovarian cancer. You can donate here.
Since the heartbreaking news, Steward’s teammates and friends have been sending love and prayers his way.
Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills said in a statement that they are "saddened" to learn of Burns' death, remembering her as an "active member" in their community. "Our prayers and heartfelt condolences go out to Tony Steward and the family of Brittany Burns during this most difficult time," the organization said.
We've already lost another beautiful soul to cancer this year. Find out how the legendary David Bowie said his final goodbyes to his friends and family in the video below.