As the NBA still reels from the untimely passing of trailblazer Jason Collins, his family have shared insight into his final months before he passed away.
Collins, who became the first active athlete in the ‘Big Four’ American sports leagues to come out as gay, died at the age of 47 after fighting Stage IV glioblastoma.
He had been fighting the disease since November of 2025, leading the family to plan their holidays early as Collins sought more advanced treatment in different parts of the world.
Elsa Collins – Jason’s sister-in-law who is married to his twin brother, Jarron Collins – posted to her Instagram story on May 12, saying, ‘Obviously it’s been a tough day, a tough year.’
Following his diagnosis, Elsa said the family had a ‘pre-Thanksgiving dinner’ due to Jason’s travels to Singapore for treatment.
She mentioned that Jason was on the antibody medication Avastin at the time, which slows the growth of tumors, allowing him to be ‘more present.’
The family of Jason Collins shared one of their final moments with the icon before his death
Collins, who became the first NBA player to come out as gay, passed away from brain cancer
His sister-in-law, Elsa Collins, shared clips from the family’s final Thanksgiving celebration
‘We got the opportunity to tell him what he meant to us,’ Elsa explained. ‘So I know that he knows what he meant to us.’
She added, ‘ I guess this is my way of saying let people know how you feel.’
Elsa shared a separate story, posting a video of the speech she gave to Jason during the family’s gathering on November 18 of last year.
‘I’m so grateful that we’re here,’ she told him. ‘I’m so grateful that we could do this before you are going to Singapore.
‘You know I love you like a brother. I think back, for as many years as I’ve been with Jarron, that’s all the years that you’ve been in my life as well.’
She also thanked Jason for the job he did mentoring her three children: Alessandra, Valentina and Massimo.
‘I’m so grateful that you’ve been in their lives, you are in their life and that you’re going to continue to be in their life,’ she said.
‘I can’t imagine them turning out as amazing as they have — and I know it’s because of everybody here playing their own individual role — and I know your role as the amazing Tio Jason cannot be described to a level that it really means. I hope you do know that.’
Collins was mourned across the NBA after his untimely death at the age of 47
Jason’s passing was confirmed in a statement released by the Collins family on Tuesday.
‘We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,’ the statement read.
‘Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar.
‘We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses.’
