Ashlyn Horry, the 17 year old daughter of seven time NBA champion Robert Horry, died on June 14, 2011, at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston after a lifelong battle with a rare genetic condition.
Ashlyn was born in Houston in 1994, during Horry’s early years with the Rockets. She spent the first six months of her life in the hospital on oxygen, and it took years of tests and surgeries before doctors gave her condition a name: 1p36 deletion syndrome. The disorder happens when a child is born missing part of the short arm of chromosome 1, and it can cause intellectual disability, delayed growth, seizures and breathing problems. Ashlyn dealt with severe respiratory issues her entire life.
She was Horry’s first child, and he spoke openly about her throughout his career. After her passing, he told the Los Angeles Times, “My little girl was the light of my life and my family’s,” adding that it had been tough but the family was blessed to have her for the time they did. He also thanked fans and friends for the outpouring of support.
Rockets owner Leslie Alexander sent his condolences, noting that Ashlyn was born while Horry played in Houston and that the two shared a special bond.
Horry and Ashlyn’s mother, Keva, started the Ashlyn Horry Foundation in 2008 to support families caring for children with similar illnesses and to raise awareness of 1p36 deletion syndrome. In later interviews, Horry has talked about how caring for Ashlyn Horry shaped him, including the struggle to keep her medical care covered after he retired from the NBA in 2008.
Known as “Big Shot Bob,” Horry played 16 seasons and won seven championships: two with the Rockets, three with the Lakers and two with the Spurs.
