After both dealing with recent tragic turns in their football careers, former Notre Dame captains Kurt and Donovan Hinish lost their father following a long battle with cancer. The brothers took to social media to share the sad news with the Irish community.

“My hero, I’ll love you forever dad. Rest easy❤️” Kurt Hinish wrote on Instagram in respect to his father.

“I could never thank you enough, I love you dad,” the younger Donovan Hinish also wrote to his late dad on Instagram.

Kurt Hinish Sr., who died at 59, was also the father of Kadin Hinish, a heptathlete at Slippery Rock University, where Kurt Sr. played football in the ’80s. Hence, he was not just recognized as the father of the two Notre Dame veterans; he was also a legend in the weightlifting and football communities. Before his death, he battled stage 4 colon cancer three times and had undergone a 17-hour surgery and chemotherapy wash before becoming cancer-free in 2018.

“Beloved husband of 30 years to Tawnie (Schroyer) Hinish; loving father of Cory (Brittany), Kadin (Zach), Kurt Braeden and Donovan; proud Pappy of Lena, Beau and Kyla; loyal brother of Heidi (Don) and Christian (Anne Marie); brother-in-law of Jeff (Kerrie). Also survived by nieces, nephews and countless loving friends,” the family wrote in the 59-year-old’s obituary. “Kurt was a legend of the weightlifting and football communities.”

Kurt Hinish Sr. was a huge part of his children’s football careers, even when his health began to fail. He was the kind of father who would lay his life on the line to ensure he never missed their football game.

“He never missed one, actually,” Kurt Jr. said of his football events. “Not even my first high school start (for Pennsylvania prep powerhouse Pittsburgh Central Catholic) my sophomore year, which was less than a week after that surgery. He was supposed to be in a coma for a couple of weeks, and he woke up five minutes after the surgery and was ready to go to my game the next week.”

“He used to go to chemotherapy in the morning and go to work right after, just because he just said he won’t give up. He said that’s not in his blood. Can’t do it. He’s one of the toughest guys in the entire world. He motivates me every day.

Hinish Sr. was also a devout Catholic. He influenced his sons with his beliefs and kept his faith despite severe health issues.

“He told all of us he wasn’t going to die,” said Kurt Jr., a former guard on the Notre Dame football team. “And he stuck to his word.”

Both Hinish brothers end their careers

Due to career-altering injuries, neither of the Hinish brothers will be returning to the teams they played for last season.

Kurt Hinish’s promising NFL shot with the Houston Texans was unfortunately derailed by a knee injury requiring surgery, leading to his release just one year into his contract.

Donovan Hinish, who attended Central Catholic High School in Pennsylvania, announced his retirement from football earlier this year after battling a shoulder injury for most of 2025.

The former three-star recruit from the class of 2022 made his mark over 845 defensive snaps, racking up 57 total tackles and 6.5 sacks after redshirting his first season. He redshirted that season and became a redshirt freshman in 2023 with nine appearances.

Both brothers have worn the No. 41 at Notre Dame since 2017, and 2026 will be the first time in almost a decade that the Irish will be without any member of the Hinish family.