T.J. Holmes mourns personal loss in heart-wrenching message

T.J. Holmes has paid his respects to NBA star and Hall of Fame player Dikembe Mutombo, who passed away from brain cancer aged 58 on Monday.

The former GMA star took to Instagram to share a throwback picture of himself chatting to the sports icon, while holding his daughter Sabine in his arms.

In the caption, he wrote: "Nobody said my name like Dikembe. That gruff, deep voice combined with his accent and consistently happy disposition made for a unique and joyous 'T. J.!' every single time. Didn't matter if we were in person or on the phone, hearing him belt out 'T. J.!' was guaranteed to change my mood for the better."

He continued: "This is me, D, and #BabySabine (when she was kinda still a baby) at the Caring For Congo Gala in Atlanta many years ago.  It was the annual signature event of the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, and he asked me to host/emcee multiple years.  The gala served as a major fundraiser for his foundation and was a who’s who of athletes, entertainers, and philanthropists.  Everybody turned out for Dikembe."

T.J. went on to recall: "The highlight of the night for me always ended up being that inevitable and impromptu moment when Dikembe got up on stage and joined the African dancers doing a live performance ...  And to see him take his 7-foot-2-inch frame and drop it like it’s hot.  (I'm smiling as I write this.)

"An incredible loss for the League and for the world. He meant so much around the world.  He did so much for people around the world. But it meant the world to me that he even knew my name, much less extended his heart, time, and friendship."

Fans were quick to respond to T.J.'s words, with one writing: "This was such a heartfelt post," while another wrote: "Thank you for your words." A third added: "He meant so much to people."

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Dikembe's family revealed in 2022 that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. His death was announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in a statement.

It read: "Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others."

Dikembe spent 18 seasons in the NBA and during this time, he played for New York, Houston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Denver and the then New Jersey Nets. He was an eight-time All Star, three-time All NBA selection and in 2015 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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T.J's tribute follows after a busy few weeks, which has seen him and girlfriend Amy Robach begin another new work project, following the success of their podcast, Amy and T.J., which debuted in December 2023. Last month, it was announced that they would be doing a daily podcast, The Morning Run, where they give a lowdown on the current headlines each day.