Garth Lagerwey will take an “immediate and indefinite leave of absence” as he continues to undergo treatment for cancer, Atlanta United announced on Tuesday night.
Here is the statement released by Lagerwey:
I am mindful that leadership of Atlanta United requires full-time attention, and right now I simply must focus on my health and ongoing cancer treatment. I am appreciative of the club considering my health needs during such a challenging time, and I am also encouraged by my treatment progress and long-term outlook.
Chris Henderson, Dimitrios Efstathiou, and Skate Noftsinger will handle operational duties in Lagerwey’s absence, with all three reporting to Rich McKay.
It’s the second such leave of absence for Lagerwey, who initially stepped aside in July shortly after his diagnosis. He returned on a limited basis in September but now is stepping away once again.
We wish Lagerwey all the best as he continues his fight, and hope that he is able to return to the club soon.
Get well, Garth. If you don’t have your health, other things don’t matter much.
Strangely, I don’t think this impacts the coaching search or player acquisition much. I have the impression that Henderson was running point on that stuff anyway.
Best of luck to Garth. Hopefully this will allow him to recover/beat this ish.
Big kudos to Uncle Arthur for keeping him on (i’m sure for insurance puropses) so that his family doesn’t have to worry about finances during this tough time.
Now it’s time for a full reset… again. Here we go! As always, VAMOS ATL!