Green Bay Packers' legend Bart Starr has passed away at 85-years old after dealing with health issues in recent years. By 2014, Starr had suffered from two strokes, a heart attack, and numerous seizures, before his condition stabilized in 2015. It's at this point that Starr would parlay his signature resilience into a penchant for beating the odds, within the field of experimental therapy.
A stint under the watchful eye of a stem cell specialist proved advantageous for an aging Starr, who in his playing days, had earned a reputation for demonstrating incredible willpower in binding situations. He was no ordinary champion either, but an unprecedented 5-time NFL titlist during the Vince Lombardi era of the 60s.
"We are saddened to note the passing of our husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Bart Starr," Starr's family immediate family expressed in a written statement. "He battled with courage and determination to transcend the serious stroke he suffered in September 2014, but his most recent illness was too much to overcome."
Bart Starr was noted for elevating his play in do or die situations. After losing out to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1960 Championship final, the Green Back Packer would never lose a playoff again, with Bart Starr at the QB position. Incidentally, the Packers also memorialized their most illustrious player, by issuing a statement in which they described him as the "epitome of class," in the football form.