For Dan Lanning, family always comes first. Especially after what his wife, Sauphia, went through. Her cancer diagnosis nearly broke him, but the couple fought through it all. She had always been a constant pillar of support throughout his life, and to celebrate her, Lanning shared a heartfelt message for his wife.

At the Lanning abode, Friday was a special occasion. The couple celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary. The HC wrote, “Happy Anniversary to the prettiest mom I know.” Clad in Oregon hoodies, the couple posed together, along with their three kids, Caden, Kniles, and Titan. Meanwhile, Ray LaMontagne’s ‘You Are the Best Thing, blasted in the background. The 39-year-old knows how to celebrate his wife.

To express his love, in 2023, Dan Lanning inked a tattoo of her portrait on his rib cage, along with their children’s names. The head coach is a disciplinarian on the turf, but inside the hard shell, there is a loving father and a doting husband, whose family means the world to him. But his world was on the brink of shattering, as his wife’s cancer diagnosis nearly turned his world upside down.

At the age of 28, Sauphia was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare, aggressive form of cancer. At that time, Dan was with the Memphis Tigers, serving as the inside linebackers coach. But football took a backseat, as his family became his priority. He missed meetings and practices just to be there for her.

Battling it for nine months, Sauphia emerged victorious. She felt deep gratitude to her family and the individuals who supported her throughout the journey. Back in 2017, to signify the end of her chemotherapy sessions, she went to Germantown, ringing the bell at the West Cancer Center. “I (wanted) everybody to be there and come witness what their love and their blessings and all their prayers (had achieved),” she said per the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “For me, it signifies God’s love for us and what the power of prayer is, what everybody’s love can do for us. It’s just amazing.”

But she had been a fighter since day 1. Last year, she designed Oregon’s ‘Heroes’ line-up of uniforms to pledge her support and stand together with individuals who stood strong through it all.

Their recent anniversary milestone reflects how both of them have stood by each other all these years. Doting on each other, they have not shied away from expressing their affection. Their story is a wholesome college love story that feels warm and fuzzy. They got to know each other while working together at a steakhouse in 2005. That time when Dan Lanning was playing college football at Missouri.

Four years down the road, they walked down the aisle together, tying the knot. Lanning calls her his ‘rock.’ “She’s done so many important things for our family to show her support, and it’s crazy to think that our journey together started about 16 years ago at Outback Steakhouse,” he said per the People. “And next thing you know, we’re sitting here at Oregon. But I love you, I admire your strength, and I thank you.” His wife had a challenging journey, but Lanning would always be beside her, holding her hand.

Sauphia Lanning’s cancer battle

Talking about those challenging times, Dan Lanning admitted to the difficult days when his wife was recovering. “She was a fighter from day one,” he said per the Athlete Lifestyle. “There were days that were not great. There were days that were really hard. I felt like it was always my job to put a smile on her face.” Even the mother of 3 was glad to recount her husband’s contributions.

Sauphia recalls, “I sat in a wheelchair, and he would push me around the hospital. And he would sing to me.” For the Ducks, Lanning is the epitome of discipline. His intense coaching style is built on mental and physical toughness. But to his family, he is a doting husband and a loving father. “I was so sick…I was skinny…I was bald. And he never looked at me any differently, other than Sauphia,” she added. “He just looked at me with the same eyes, the same admiration. And I just get emotional thinking about that.”

It’s been 2 decades since they first met at a steakhouse in 2005. From that day, it’s never been easy. Scraping by on just $1,200 a month in Alabama, raising three young kids while Dan chased his coaching dream. Then, learning of Sauphia’s cancer, news that shook the family. To now, the couple is still together, putting behind them the financial issues as Dan Lanning is one of the highest-paid head coaches in Division I football.