Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach died Monday night due to heart complications. At the time of his death, he was 61 years old.

The Leach family said, in a statement: “We are supported and uplifted by the outpouring of love and prayers from family, friends, Mississippi State University, the hospital staff, and football fans around the world. Thank you for sharing in the joy of our beloved husband and father’s life.”

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The University initially stated that Leach suffered a “personal health issue” at his home in Starkville on Sunday. This required him to be airlifted to the UMMC in Jackson, which is around 125 miles from Mississippi State.  

He is survived by his wife, Sharon, and their four children. 

Who is Sharon Leach?

Sharon Leach was married to Mike Leach. Prior to getting married to each other, the couple was college sweethearts at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

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Sharon told the Seattle Times in 2012 that she and Mike went out for their first date because they wanted a romantic outing but because Mike was hungry. “He probably had the two-for-one coupons and I was the freebie,” she told the outlet.

Sharon had been a full-time administrative assistant and legal secretary for around 14 years, and in 1996, she left her career to focus on her family. 

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Sharon opened up about Mike’s demanding job in an interview with Sports Illustrated in 2014: “I don’t think many people understand just how many hours are spent coaching and recruiting a college football team. Long ago I realized that Mike’s job was coaching, and my job was everything else. I was OK with that. I loved college football as much as he loved coaching it.” 

Mike and Sharon share four children together, including Cody, Kim, Kiersten, and Janeen. The couple has chosen to keep information about the lives of their children private and away from the spotlight.