It has been three years since Noah Fant lost an extremely precious star of his life. Upon hearing the news of Fant’s mother’s death, the NFL world went into shock. It was also because the professional athlete was very, very close to his mother.

Born on November 20, 1997, in Omaha, Nebraska, to dad Willie Fant and late mother Kathy Fant, Noah’s dreams of becoming an NFL player was fulfilled in the 2019 NFL draft. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round. Soon after this draft, he got a special surprise from his parents, who were steadfast supporters of Noah throughout his football journey.

Although details about their careers are scarce, Willie and Kathy’s full support for Noah is being reported. This was evident from the fact that they were mostly seen attending their son’s NFL games. After Noah was drafted in 2019, the proud couple shared a heartfelt video for their son, which he watched later. Noah’s dad reminisced about his early sports days, recalling how Noah was always bigger than the other kids and had to play up.

Despite his size, Noah never backed down from challenges and always aimed to be the best. Recalling this, Wille said to Noah, “But you were a kid that always stood up for the challenge and you want to be better than every other guy out there and all your hard work and dedication is paid off” through Little League, middle school, and high school. In addition to that, his dad admitted that he was looking forward to see Noah achieving his goals in the NFL. Additionally, he reminded Noah to remain a man of God, maintain good character, and continue working hard at his craft.

Besides him, Noah’s mom, Kathy, also reflected on his journey, mentioning how she knew from the moment he was born that he was blessed with “athletic ability”. She praised his size (11 pounds 1 ounce), athletic ability, and analytical skills. Kathy was also excited about his future and proud of all he had accomplished. Emotional Noah, in turn, expressed his love and gratitude for his family, acknowledging how lucky he was to have their support.

However, just two years later, the athlete faced a devastating loss when his beloved mother passed away, leaving him in shock.

Noah Fant was a momma’s boy!

Noah Fant’s mother, Kathy Jean Fant, passed away at the young age of 53 in May 2021. The cause of her death was reported to be an illness. This loss has been incredibly challenging for Noah, who was very close to his mother. Despite his grief, Noah believed he would be able to cope with time. While remembering her in pain, Noah smiled and recalled, “I was definitely a momma’s boy. I was very close with her. I talked to her pretty much every day. We went through growing pains as mom and son growing up, but she was always there for me. I loved her, and we had a really good relationship. It’s going to be a little bit different, obviously. I am good. Like I said before, just taking it a day at a time.”

The funeral of Kathy was done in Omaha, Nebraska. It was attended by Noah’s family, friends, and key members of the Broncos organization, including GM George Paton, then-Coach Vic Fangio, and Vice President of Player Development Ray Jackson. They all offered Noah much-needed support during his tough phase.

Noah currently remains focused on honoring his mother’s memory by continuing to play the sport she loved watching him excel in!