ESPN reporter Holly Rowe is mourning the death of her mother, Diane Buck Rowe-Gandre, sharing a heartfelt tribute to her via X on Wednesday, September 16.
“We buried my beautiful Mother today,” she wrote alongside what appeared to be photos and video from the memorial service. “We honored her with the things she loves most…Dr. Pepper, Purple, Butterflies released and music. So grateful for my amazing family. We laughed, cried and loved on each other today. Love you Momma💜You raised an amazing family.”
Rowe, 60, announced on August 31 that her mom had passed away “peacefully” that night.
“Diane Buck Rowe-Gandre was elegant, smart and strong,” she wrote via Instagram. “I told her a few days ago that all the flags in America were at half mast for her. I know Dolly [Parton] will forgive this fib and they can have a good hoot about it on the other side.”
Rowe continued, “So grateful for my siblings as we navigated the last few days together. Team Rowe is something special.”
While Rowe has processed her grief, she has also found herself thrust into the spotlight thanks to the fallout from an awkward moment she shared with University of Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian over the weekend.
Sarkisian, 52, seemed to blow off Rowe for a postgame interview after the Longhorns staged a furious fourth-quarter comeback to upset No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday, September 12.
Two days later, quarterback Arch Manning joked during a press conference about seeing an AI edit of the video, made to show Sarkisian slapping Rowe, eliciting laughter from some media members.
“Y’all seen that one? That’s a good one. Of him slapping Holly Rowe,” he said of the video. “It’s hilarious.”
Manning, 22, took to his Instagram Story the next day to apologize.
“In my press conference yesterday, I made an insensitive comment about an AI video,” he wrote in a statement on Tuesday, September 15. “There is nothing funny about it. It’s easy to say I didn’t mean it, but I know my words and actions were hurtful to a lot of people. I do not take that lightly and am deeply sorry for that.”
The statement continued, “I specifically want to apologize to Holly Rowe for what she has personally had to deal with because of my comments. I have a ton of respect for her and appreciate her showing me grace in this moment. I need to do better and will be more thoughtful going forward.”
Rowe shared the statement to her Story as well, adding, “Thank you Arch. I appreciate our conversation about this, which will remain private. Apology accepted. We move forward with kindness and respect for one another.”
