Heartfelt Goodbye From The Olivadotti’s

Kirk Olivadotti family

Over the past three seasons, the Georgia coaching staff has dealt with many issues, on the field and off, most of them involving the next game or poor decisions made by young men. Those issues were as far from a life or death struggle as one could get. It was just football, it’s the life of a coach whose livelihood depends on wins and nothing else. It’s also a business that often involves uprooting their family and relocating with very little advance notice.

Kirk Olivadotti’s family had only been in Athens for three weeks when they were faced with a parents worst nightmare, the diagnosis of cancer in their daughter Kasyn. They didn’t have the luxury of a large family close by or at least they thought they didn’t. The DawgNation rose to their support in a way that will forever affect the family.

Coach Olivadotti has accepted a job with the Washington Redskins and with the typical class that he has exhibited throughout his tenure with the Dawgs, he says goodbye.

To the Georgia Bulldog Family – 

This is an open letter of appreciation to the Bulldog Nation for all those that helped Kasyn in her fight against cancer. 

Kasyn was diagnosed with cancer three weeks after our family moved to Georgia. We all dug in for a battle. As treatment began at Aflac Cancer Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, help was abundant . Our family witnessed the most amazing thing happen. We had people sending prayers and well wishes from across the Bulldog Nation. We even had people tell us they prayed for the first time in years. We felt honored and humbled that Kasyn was able to bring people back to prayer. We as a family believe in the power of prayer. We cannot thank the Bulldog nation enough for helping in our time of need. 

It is easy for me to talk about the great relationships that we have formed with players and coaches on the Georgia football team the past three years. The ILB’s had to hear more than their fair share of stories about my family. I am forever grateful to those young men. They understood the only way that my focus would be correct was to talk first about my family as we all fought for Kasyn’s health. The entire coaching staff sacrificed some of themselves to help in the battle. We functioned as one unit while winning two SEC East titles. The wives started the Kasyn Cares Fund. The fund supports pediatric cancer research at the Aflac Cancer Center. 

In closing, Kasyn has won her fight. The Bulldog Nation helped us declare a victory that we will forever be able to celebrate. Every time Kasyn smiles we will think of the gratitude we have for the entire Bulldog Nation. Thank you! 

God Bless and Go Dawgs!

Kirk, Keely, Kasyn, and Kruz