Army West Point assistant football coach John Loose mourned the loss of his daughter Lauren, who died on Wednesday, August 12, at the age of 29.
“Words cannot express how much we miss & ❤️Lauren,” John shared via X on Saturday, August 15. “She was so special to everyone she came in contact with! Thank you for all the outpouring of ❤️& support for Lauren & our family over the years!”
Lauren was born with Neurofibromatosis type I, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow along nerves.
The survivor of a pediatric brain tumor, Lauren helped raise more than $3 million through her First and Goal Foundation, which provides financial support for brain tumor research and cancer services, offers financial and emotional support to families living with pediatric cancer, and increases awareness of the disease.
“Lauren was a relentless dreamer with big plans and an unwavering determination to make them a reality,” her obituary reads. “She happily brought others along for the ride of their lives. She loved planning her birthday parties, creating elaborate themes that often included contests, costumes and above all, lots of laughter.”
During the final months of her life, Lauren and her family “shared many meaningful conversations about life, priorities, and what truly brings joy to our days.”
“As her physical health declined, she made the conscious choice to spend her time doing the things she loved most: being with family and friends at her happy place, the beach and working at her dream job at Compassion Café in Beach Haven, NJ,” her obituary says. “Her Café family gave her the gift of purpose. They treated her with loving kindness and compassion and helped her maintain a sense of normalcy during an incredibly difficult period in her life. Lauren, in turn, continued to give of herself each day. She made a conscious decision to be generous, kind and thoughtful toward those around her and strived to live her life according to the virtues of her Catholic faith.”
Compassion Café is a non-profit with the goal of providing meaningful employment for adolescents and adults with disabilities. The Loose family is requesting donations to the Café in Lauren’s honor.
Army head football coach, Jeff Monken, discussed Lauren’s legacy on Saturday.
“Lauren was such a special young lady and meant so much to everybody that she encountered,” Monken, 59, told BlackKnight Nation. “She just had this spirit about her. It’s almost indescribable. Everybody that met her was taken by her – her attitude, her toughness. For her whole life, she’s battled brain and spinal cord tumors.”
Monken added, “The whole program, we grieve with them. We’re here to support them.”
