Keasha Draft, the wife of retired NFL linebacker Chris Draft, has died of lung cancer. She passed away on Dec. 27, 2011.

Lakeasha Monique Rutledge Draft was just 38 years old. She bravely faced her battle with lung cancer, according to the Chris Draft Family Foundation. She was not a smoker, according to the Daily Mail.

Quite simply, she was ferocious. She fiercely held onto life, and love with a forcefulness that was absolutely awe-inspiring and completely breathtaking, stated a Webpage of the Chris Draft Family Foundation.

The Web page also featured Psalm 23 (which starts with the verse The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want) and asked people to donate to Team Draft instead of sending flowers.

Team Draft is operated by the Chris Draft Family Foundation, a nonprofit that works to strengthen communities by empowering families to live healthy lifestyles.

In their professional careers, Keasha was a cheerleader for the Charlotte Hornets and Chris was a linebacker with the teams like the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins.

The couple had married just one month earlier in a private ceremony. Keasha, weakened by her battle with cancer, sat in a wheelchair for her wedding, according to Sportsrageous.

A Celebration of Keasha Rutledge Draft's life was held on Dec. 31 at 1 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church in Williamston, South Carolina. She will then be laid to rest at the New Prospect Baptist Church.

Keasha may God bless you and keep you always. May the Lord comfort your devoted and loving husband, Chris, wrote Tiffany Roy-Fisher on the Keasha Rutledge Draft's Celebration Facebook page.

Rest in peace Mrs. Draft. I pray that God will comfort and strengthen your husband's family and your family as well. You will be truly missed but not forgotten, wrote Tracey Barnes.

My heart goes out to Chris Draft, so sorry for your loss, tweeted hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons.

(Image below from www.chrisdraftfamilyfoundation.org)

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