College Basketball Coach Mourns Death of 22-Month-Old Daughter

College basketball coach Jeremiah Samarrippas is in mourning after the death of his 22-month-old daughter, Amelia.

"We are sad to share that our baby girl is no longer with us. I'm not sure how we live life without her," Jeremiah wrote via X on Thursday, June 18. "She was so special in a million different ways. Our hearts are hurting and I don't think it'll ever stop."

While a cause of death was not announced, the Wofford Terriers Men's Basketball assistant coach previously asked for prayers for his daughter via X on Monday, June 15.

From the moment Jeremiah and his wife, Brooke Samarrippas, welcomed their baby girl in July 2024, they knew their lives had changed forever.

"I was a girl dad and would do anything I could to protect her, love her and make sure she has anything she needs," he wrote via X, sharing the memories he will forever hold close to his heart. "She brought joy to so many people and was loved by everyone that met her."

According to Jeremiah, Amelia loved going to basketball games to cheer on her dad's team and always danced to the game's music. He also noted that she recently became a big sister to their youngest child, 1-month-old Jase.

"She bragged to everyone about him, constantly wanted to hold him, help with him, and be attached to him. She was the best big sister in the world," he gushed. "As Brooke had to nurse and give Jase more attention the last few weeks, it really gave me a chance to build a closer relationship with my baby girl."

Jeremiah noted that his daughter had a profound impact on his life, ensuring she will never be forgotten.

"Millie will always be with us and I will do all that I can to keep her memory lasting forever," he continued. "Rest Baby Girl. We are proud of you. Daddy loves you forever."

In a separate Instagram post, Brooke paid tribute to her daughter and applauded her for fighting "incredibly hard."

"We can't believe that we are sharing these words, but our Millie girl is no longer with us. We know our girl is in the best place, being met by Jesus," Brooke wrote via Instagram on Thursday. "If you know her, you know she stormed Heaven with a smile on her face and dancing to the music. The most beautiful, fun, loving, smart, joyful, caring little girl 🤍."

Although Brooke and her husband are grieving, the parents vowed to turn their pain into purpose by helping others in need.

"She wanted to ‘hep' in every way possible, so we know she would want to help other families have a chance at keeping their babies," Brooke shared. "We will be doing her honor walk sometime on Saturday. We will update as we have a more concrete time. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we navigate this incredibly difficult time. Our entire world and home has revolved around her for the last 688 days. Learning to live without her will be unbearably hard."

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This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 12:35 PM.