Nick Gilbert, the son of Clevland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert who evolved into the organization’s good luck charm at NBA Draft lotteries, died at 26 years old. Gilbert was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when he was a toddler. It’s a genetic condition that causes non-cancerous tumors to grow on the spinal cord, brain, and skin. Unfortunately, there is no cure.

The Ira Kaufman Chapel announced that Gilbert died “peacefully at home surrounded by family” in his Bloomfield Hills, Michigan home. In 2011, Gilbert became a viral sensation when he wore dark-rimmed glasses and a bow tie at the 2011 draft lottery. The Cavaliers got the number one pick, selecting Kyrie Irving. It was the season after LeBron James left the Cavaliers to play for the Miami Heat.

After his father praised his efforts and called him his hero, 14-year-old Gilbert quipped, “What’s not to like?” He represented the Cavaliers at several other lotteries. Cleveland got the number one pick again in 2013 and 2014, drafting Andrew Wiggins in 2014 and flipping him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a trade for Kevin Love. Love, Irving, and James helped bring a championship to Cleveland in 2016.

Cleveland dedicated its 2022-23 season to Gilbert. The team wore bowtie emblems on their warm-up jerseys to honor him and raise awareness for the disease. In an Instagram post, the Cavs said, “Nick was a light and inspiration to so many throughout his 26 years of life. Whether taking on his signature role as the Cavs’ good luck charm during several NBA Draft Lotteries or using his voice to advocate in the fight against NF, Nick’s unrelenting spirit has been a driving force behind our organization.”

Gilbert was hospitalized for over a month in 2022 after he faced multiple surgeries during his fight with neurofibromatosis, NBC affiliate WKYC reported. On social media, Donovan Mitchell, a guard for the Cavs, mourned the loss of Gilbert, who first represented the team at the 2011 NBA Draft Lottery and went on to represent the team five additional times.

“Love You, Nick,” Mitchell wrote on Twitter, adding a heart, dove and praying emojis. Joe Haden, an NFL player who played for the Cleveland Browns for seven seasons, also memorialized Gilbert in a tweet, sharing several photos. The Gilbert family founded NF Forward in 2017, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about neurofibromatosis and funds cutting-edge research regarding the disorder.