PROVO — In the early morning hours Tuesday, former BYU basketball coach Dave Rose was feeling pain and discomfort.
Rose recognized something serious was happening, and his wife, Cheryl, took him to Utah Valley Hospital, where doctors treated him.
Rose had suffered a major heart attack. His awareness of what was going on with his body may have saved his life.
“I’ve always praised his ‘feel’ for everything. That’s one of his strengths. He always knew how to pull the right string in almost every situation. That’s why he was so successful,” said former BYU assistant Tim LaComb, who spent 12 years with Rose at BYU. “He said he knew right away that he was in trouble and he got to the hospital. If it were me, on the other hand, I probably would have sat around thinking it was something I ate the night before at dinner.”
“He was up and around, laughing and joking. They kept him one more night. He was able to go home (Thursday). Being able to rest at home is a big deal. He’s doing really well.” — Tim LaComb, on visiting Dave Rose after his heart attack
In an Instagram post Wednesday night, Cheryl Rose wrote about her husband’s heart attack: “Doctors used words like severe, major and widow-maker but they went to work and gave us more time together.”
Rose, who retired last March after 14 years as BYU’s head coach, spent Tuesday in ICU but later was transferred to a room at the hospital. Wednesday afternoon, LaComb visited Rose.
“I was almost looking for the cameras like it was a prank, he looked so good,” LaComb said. “He was up and around, laughing and joking. They kept him one more night. He was able to go home (Thursday). Being able to rest at home is a big deal. He’s doing really well.”
Just days before suffering the heart attack, Rose had returned from an extended trip to Italy, LaComb said.
Since news of Rose’s heart attack became public, there has been an outpouring of love and support for him, LaComb said.
“I heard from so many people from around the college basketball world — head coaches, assistant coaches, AAU coaches, high school coaches, junior college coaches, guys we recruited, guys that played for us,” he said. “It was a busy day. I heard from a lot of people and I know he did, too. It was nice to be able to think of him and be there for him and his family.”
Senator Mitt Romney posted on Twitter Thursday, “Utahns know Dave Rose is a fighter. Grateful to the doctors for their efforts and the support the community is showing the Rose family. Wishing Coach a full and speedy recovery!”
“We are overwhelmed by the love and support from so many and most of all your prayers!” Cheryl Rose posted on Instagram. “Grateful for some incredible guys that stopped by to cheer us up but most of all I’m grateful for my guy! He’s the best and I’m so glad he’s still here!”
Dave Rose has faced serious health issues before. In the summer of 2009, Rose was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor cancer, the only type of pancreatic cancer that can be successfully treated. That fall, Rose was back coaching his team. Since undergoing emergency surgery to remove the tumor, he has been cancer-free.
In 2010, Rose spoke on behalf of Coaches vs. Cancer to underscore the importance of federal investment in cancer research, prevention and early detection programs. In 2018, Rose received the $100,000 grand prize in the Coaches’ Infiniti Charity Challenge. Rose donated that money to the BYU Simmons Center for Cancer Research.
Last April, less than a month after announcing his retirement, Rose’s father, Jack, died from stomach cancer.
In his 14 seasons at the helm of the BYU basketball program, Rose guided the Cougars to eight NCAA Tournament bids and one appearance in the Sweet 16.
While Rose had been the head coach since 2005, he was hired as an assistant coach with the program in 1997.
Rose won 348 games as the Cougars’ head coach. In September, the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee announced it was upholding its decision to impose a penalty vacating 47 victories related to former guard Nick Emery’s participation while ineligible due to accepting extra benefits from four boosters.
Even in upholding its decision, the NCAA acknowledged that Rose and the athletic department had no knowledge of the improprieties.
With 301 career victories, Rose remains No. 2 in school history in all-time wins behind Stan Watts’ 371 wins.
LaComb was able to reflect this week on the time he’s spent with Rose.
“I’m proud of what we did and the way that we did it. He such a great friend in my life,” LaComb said. “I was lucky to be with him for 12 years. He’ll be a guy that, as long as I have breath, I will support and defend. He’s an unbelievable guy.”
For the foreseeable future, Rose will be resting at home. He was scheduled to travel to Louisiana next week to visit another former BYU assistant coach, Heath Schroyer, currently the head coach at McNeese State.
“Obviously, he won’t be able to do that now,” LaComb said. “He’ll lay low. The serious part of it was done in surgery. The doctors were able to do what they needed to do. Now it’s a matter of him recuperating and he’ll be back to whatever he’s got next.”