By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – At 1:07 p.m. on Friday, Mike Henry sent me a text message that I long had feared and dreaded would be coming, probably sooner than later.

He wanted to let me know that Kenny Arnold probably only had a few hours left to live.

Sadly, Henry was right as Arnold passed away peacefully at 4:19 a.m. on Saturday with Henry by his side like Henry has been for much of the past 40 years in sickness and in health.

Kenny Arnold was only 59 years old and he spent over half of his life battling serious health issues that started with a brain tumor in the mid-1980s.

Kenny experienced the highest of highs as a starting sophomore guard on Iowa’s 1980 Final Four team and the lowest of lows as a cancer victim who also suffered from the debilitating effects from several strokes.

Kenny was poised to make the NBA as a 6-foot-3 combo guard out of Chicago, but then his body started to break down, his speech and his mobility affected by the strokes.

Kenny fought valiantly for nearly four decades against health issues that you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy, and did so with dignity and grace.

But Kenny didn’t fight alone, thanks to people like Henry, who was Kenny’s former college teammate at Iowa, but also his guardian angel and guiding light.

Everybody needs a friend like Mike “Tree” Henry.

Kenny was very fortunate in that regard, and he knew it. He knew that he had Tree Henry looking over him and protecting him. They were as close as friends could be, each inspiring the other to be good and decent, and to embrace life, no matter how tough things might be.

Tree said Kenny had lost weight recently and that his right shoulder kept popping out of joint. Kenny's body just couldn't take it anymore and finally succumbed to years of hardship and strain.

The fact that Tree and Kenny were both born on the same day on June 7^th, 1959 seems so fitting because they were like soul mates who were brought into this world to make each other feel better.

They both grew up in the Chicago area and Tree Henry hosted Kenny on his recruiting trip to Iowa.

They became friends almost immediately.

Henry said they shared of love for the same music, most notably Parliament-Funkadelic, and cheeseburgers, and they both had laid-back personalities.

Henry also admired the way Kenny played basketball and how he made his teammates better.

Kenny also had what Henry describes as an amazing sense of humor that Kenny tried to hide behind his shy exterior when around strangers.

“The thing that stands out most to me, however, was Kenny's strength and how much he cared about those close to him,” Henry said Saturday. “From the time he was diagnosed with his tumor, he never complained. After the initial shock the first day, he told me the next day in a matter of fact way, "I'm beating this" and that was all we focused on.

“There was never a "why me" or this isn't fair attitude. He taught me how to LIVE each day and appreciate the things we have, no matter how big or small.”

True definition of courage

Iowa’s 1980 Final Four team was cohesive and close on and off the court, but Kenny’s struggle made them closer.

He made his former college teammates appreciate life even more with how he lived his life under terrible circumstances.

Kenny often told his Iowa teammates that God picked him to be sick instead of one of them because God knew that Kenny could handle it and would use his struggle as a way to inspire and help others.

That is the true definition of courage and shows the power of the human spirit.

Henry shared a story on Saturday that truly illustrates the power and influence of Kenny Arnold.

Former Iowa teammate Vince Brookins had traveled to Chicago several years ago to visit Kenny in a care facility. Brookins wanted to help Henry try to cheer Kenny up during some tough times.

But what happened is something that Henry and Brookins will cherish forever.

“We exchanged greetings and as always Kenny was more concerned about us than himself,” Henry said. “He asked how we were and as we both relayed some of the previously mentioned small problems, Kenny listened intently and then asked if he could pray for us. He held our hands and said a prayer for us to be better and our problems to be resolved.

“When he finished, Vince and I looked at each other and then at Kenny in amazement. We asked him, “how do you deal with your situation and not be bitter?" He smiled and replied, "God gave me this because he knew I could handled this and you guys couldn't. He gave me this challenge so you all don't have to deal with it."

Kenny Arnold was powerful on and off the court.

His body was ravaged by years of poor health, but his mind remained sharp, and his mood was always upbeat.

Sometimes, when I would have a bad day, I’d think of Kenny Arnold and the brutal hand that he was dealt.

Life isn’t always fair, and Kenny Arnold is a sad reminder of that.

“He is finally whole again, no pain, just a legacy of strength,” said Arnold’s former Iowa teammate, Mark Gannon.

A winner in every sense of the word

When healthy, Arnold was a versatile guard who let his performance do his talking.

He played alongside All-America point guard Ronnie Lester as a sophomore at Iowa and they were the perfect complement to each other.

Both were soft-spoken and team-first guys, but Lester was two years older and clearly the star, and Arnold was okay with that because Lester was really good, and because Arnold was really unselfish and devoted to winning.

But when Lester injured his knee as a senior, Arnold shifted from shooting guard to point guard and became the driving force for a team that would go on to play in the 1980 Final Four.

There are so many words that described Kenny Arnold, words like brave and resilient, but more than anything he was a winner.

A person has to be a winner to endure what Kenny did for so long.

There was fear and concern that Kenny wouldn’t survive the brain tumor, but he just kept battling one day at a time for over 30 years.

He was also a winner on the court, considering Iowa finished first, fourth, second and second in the Big Ten during his four years playing under Lute Olson.

And the fourth-place team is the one that advanced to the Final Four.

Kenny is one of just three Iowa players to have scored at least 20 points in a Final Four game, the others being Carl Cain and Bill Logan.

Kenny is also one of six Hawkeyes to finish a career with at least 1,100 points, 350 assists, 250 rebounds and 80 steals.

He did whatever it takes to win.

I would love to see the Iowa basketball program retire Kenny’s jersey No. 30 after current guard Connor McCaffery is finished wearing it.

And it seems fitting in a way that Connor McCaffery, who is the son of Iowa coach Fran McCaffery, wears No. 30 because Connor lost two of his grandparents to cancer and because his younger brother and future Iowa teammate, Patrick McCaffery, had a malignant tumor removed from his thyroid five years ago.

Connor McCaffery has seen up close the horrible effects of cancer, so he should truly appreciate Kenny Arnold's legacy. 

Fran McCaffery has dedicated his life to raising money to fight cancer, partyly as a tribute to his parents, both of whom died of colon cancer.

Fran also embraced Kenny Arnold’s cause and did whatever he could to help.

The Iowa players wore Kenny Arnold t-shirts during warmups against Northwestern in 2017 and Iowa also dedicated a game to Arnold against Illinois that same season. Fans were encouraged to wear Kenny Arnold t-shirts and almost all of them did, turning Carver-Hawkeye Arena into a giant white-out of hope and inspiration.

Fran McCaffery issued a statement shortly after Kenny’s death expressing his sympathy and reminding fans what Kenny means to the Iowa program.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Arnold family,” McCaffery said. “We lost one of the most inspirational players our program has ever had. Kenny always had a smile on his face and cared most about the happiness of others. His spirit & legacy will not be forgotten.”

Life without Kenny

Tree Henry isn’t sure how he will fill the void left by Kenny’s death. A major part of Henry’s life was spent helping and loving his friend.

Tree loves photography and will use that as a way to fill the void in his life.

But there probably will never be a day where Tree Henry doesn’t think about his best friend and former teammate.

Kenny Arnold deserved better in life, but he never said why me, or felt sorry for himself because he was too busy living and inspiring others.

Henry said they plan to honor Kenny’s legacy by staying committed to raising money for the Kenny Arnold Foundation. They now have an annual golf outing with the next one scheduled for July 12^th and 13^th at the Lake Creek Country Club in Storm Lake.

There is an empty feeling with Kenny now gone, but it brings comfort knowing that his pain and suffering are over and that he is in a better place.

It was a privilege to have known Kenny Arnold and now it is my mission to make sure that Iowa fans will never forget him.

Rest in peace my friend.