Esther Lin/MMA Fighting
Daniel Cormier took to social media on Saturday afternoon to announce the death of his stepfather Percy Benoit after a battle with cancer. The touching message included several personal photos and lauded the man he considered his true dad as a hero and ‘the bravest, strongest, hardest working and most caring person I’ve ever known.’
This loss follows the loss of Cormier’s heavyweight belt, which he dropped to Stipe Miocic at UFC 241. Miocic knocked Cormier out in the second round of their rematch. The fight may end up being Cormier’s last. He hasn’t made a decision yet about his fighting future.
”Today I lost my hero to cancer,” Cormier wrote. “My father was the bravest, strongest, hardest working and most caring person I’ve ever known. Always the life of the party and made everyone he ever came in contact with feel good.”
”I never could have imagined we would be going through this right now. All the lessons I wanna try and pass along I learned from my dad. You know its about the legacy we leave behind and my dads legacy will be one of just a great person, loving husband and father and friend to everyone. If you’ve ever met Percy Benoit you’re better for it. We were able to see some amazing things pops and I hope you enjoyed the ride, I only wanted to make you proud.”
”I love you pop, you were the strenght of this family,” Cormier finished. “Now you get to rest. No more pain. Love you Dad.”
He finished things off with the tag #cancersucks.
Cormier’s biological father was shot and killed in front of the family by his second wife’s father when “DC” was seven years old.
”My stepfather, Percy Benoit, was the one who actually raised me from age 3,” Cormier said in a Sports Illustrated feature. “I wish I hadn’t lost my dad at such an early age, but I had a father and he took care of me.”
Our thoughts go out to Daniel Cormier and his family during this difficult time.