Former Zag Jeremy Eaton passes away from rare form of cancer

The 45-year-old was a key piece in starting GU's two-decade long run of excellence.

Former Gonzaga Bulldog center and Spokane icon Jeremy Eaton passed away of rectal cancer on Thursday night. The 45-year-old was surrounded by friends and family.

“So sad to hear the news of Jeremy’s passing,” Mark Few said in a social media post. “He was such a huge part of what was the beginning of this incredible run of GU basketball.”

Eaton played a key role in the Zags’ iconic run to the Elite Eight in 1999, when GU pulled off three upsets against Minnesota, Stanford and Florida to kick off what would become a two-decade run of excellence.

Doctors diagnosed Eaton with stage-four rectal cancer in December 2020. Despite no known cure, there was optimism that treatments could slow the spread. Eaton would go on to live another year and half after battling the rare form of cancer.

A GoFundMe page was started by his sister, Kendra, to help offset the medical bills. Eaton, who was running a one-man small business at the time, was expecting health insurance a month after his diagnosis. Unaware of the campaign, the Spokane community showed their support in a big way.

The original goal of $30,000 was exceeded and then some, as over $60,000 has been raised to this day.

Eaton averaged 11.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in 1999 after redshirting in 1998.