Ryne Sandberg and his wife Margaret. Credit :
Ryne Sandberg/Instagram
- MLB great Ryne Sandberg called his wife Margaret his “rock” as he underwent cancer treatments before his death on Monday, July 28
- Sandberg said Margaret, his second wife, “has made my life fun and has made me a better person”
- “I love her more than ever,” Sandberg wrote of his wife, who he says took “complete control of my battle with cancer”
Chicago Cubs great Ryne Sandberg penned an adoring tribute to his wife Margaret, calling her his “rock” during cancer treatments, before his death on Monday.
Cubs executive chairman Tom Ricketts confirmed Sandberg’s passing in a statement on Monday, July 28, calling the former infielder “a hero to a generation of Chicago Cubs fans” and remembering that “most of all, he was proud of Margaret, his children and his role as husband, father and grandfather.”
In a post on Sandberg’s Instagram from May 2024, the former MLB star expressed his appreciation for his wife as he underwent cancer treatment. “Happy Mothers Day to my wife Margaret and life partner! We will be celebrating 30 years together next year, the experiences, events, and memories are endless,” he wrote on May 12, 2024 in the caption of a photo of Margaret smiling.
“I wouldn’t have wanted to been with anyone else and she has made my life fun and has made me a better person and continues to do so,” he continued.
Ryne Sandberg and his wife Margaret. Ryne Sandberg/Instagram
Reflecting on his cancer treatments since he shared his diagnosis in January 2024, Sandberg said the prior six months were “a journey and test for both” he and his wife. “But she has taken complete control of my battle with cancer like a Team Captain and I’ve managed to be as comfortable as possible and do all the doctors have ordered because of her.”
Sandberg continued, “It has been a lot for her to take on but she has been the one I credit a lot for my successful winning of the battle! I love her more than ever!”
He went on to say Margaret is his “rock” and wrote, “with her by my side I can conquer anything! 🌷”
On July 16, Sandberg shared an update on his health after a “challenging few months” of treatment. “While I am continuing to fight, I’m looking forward to making the most of every day with my loving family and friends. I haven’t been to Wrigley Field as much as I hoped in the first half but I’m watching every game and am excited for the second half and to see Wrigley rocking like 1984!”
Sandberg married Margaret in August 1995 after divorcing his first wife, Cindy, with whom he shared children Justin and Lindsey. After wedding Margaret, he became stepfather to her three children, BR, Adriane and Steven.
Sandberg was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005. Shortly after, the Cubs retired his number, making him the team’s fourth player to receive that honor. The Cubs unveiled a statue in his honor in 2024.
