An NBA executive posted a heart-wrenching final message to LinkedIn on Friday as she died of a rare cancer at age 40.
Caroline Klein, the chief communications officer of the Utah Jazz, had battled Stage 4 Proximal Type Epithelioid Sarcoma in her lungs after being diagnosed with cancer in August 2023.
In a final message on LinkedIn – titled ‘Remember me for the way I lived,’ Klein encouraged others to ‘pursue all of your dreams with an unapologetic determination.’
‘We only have one life to live, and it’s on you to live it to the fullest. So please, try to see every day as a license to LIVE, not just pass the time,’ she wrote.
Klein, who also thanked her ‘wonderful husband,’ Mike, said that her cancer diagnosis hit her ‘like a Mack Truck.’
‘But, being the pragmatist I am, my attitude from the start was, ‘it’s what it is,’ and instead of wasting any time obsessing about how not to die, I spent my cancer journey focusing on how to live the fullest life as much as I could control,’ she continued.
Utah Jazz chief communications officer Caroline Klein has died at the age of 40
‘And boy, did I live. As my sister said, I drove an F1 car full speed the entire time from diagnosis to death, seeking laughter, beauty, love, joy, adventure, and awe at every turn, and soaking up every possible moment with the people I love the most. ‘
Klein, who worked for the Jazz for three years, was a Sports Business Journal ‘Forty Under 40’ honoree last year, and was remembered as ‘one of a kind’ by Ryan Smith, chairman of the Jazz’s parent Smith Entertainment Group.
‘[His wife] Ash and I and the rest of the SEG team will miss her every single day. She left us a post to read after her passing, a lasting gift and part of her wisdom,’ he said. Working with CK was a highlight of my career. Her presence — and all she shared — Miss you already CK.’
NBA commissioner Adam Silver also issued a statement on Klein’s passing, writing: ‘The NBA family mourns the passing of our colleague and friend, Caroline Klein. Caroline was a leader within the Smith Entertainment Group, and across the league.
‘Her passion, determination, and generosity left a lasting impact on everyone she met, and she played a pivotal role in making the 2023 NBA All-Star Game in Utah an unforgettable celebration of the Jazz organization and the Salt Lake City community.
‘We extend our deepest condolences to her husband, Mike; her family and friends; Ryan and Ashley Smith; and her many colleagues at the Jazz and Utah Mammoth.’
Klein also managed communications for NHL team the Utah Mammoth (also owned by SEG), and their home arena, the Delta Center.
A graduate of Boston University, Klein previously rose to the role of chiefs communications officer at Preferred Hotels & Resorts and gained communications experience at a variety of other companies.
She also said in her last message: ‘…Do I wish I was able to live another several decades? Of course. But, I absolutely loved my life and wouldn’t have changed a thing.
It was an amazing run filled with opportunities to push myself to my limits and feel more alive than ever, as well as times that took me to the bottom and made me dig deep into my soul’s legacy of being a warrior spirit to channel an infallible resilience and overcome incredibly hard things. I was at peace leaving the world knowing that I didn’t leave anything on the table and that I made a great impact on others around me.’
She later continued: ‘To my wonderful husband, Mike, thank you for helping me do it all right until the end. You loved me fiercely, embraced my wildness, and supported my dreams without hesitation. Now, it’s time for you to go live another great act in this life until we meet again in the next.
To all of my other dear friends and family, I’ll look forward to seeing you in your dreams where we’ll be dancing to 90s hip hop, eating all of the dumplings, popcorn, soft serve ice cream, and sour candy, hiking mountain after mountain, cheers’ing endlessly while exploring cities abroad, and laughing and dancing all day and night.’
