NEED TO KNOW
\nBryan Braman initially didn’t tell his daughters that he had been diagnosed with cancerFamily friend Bill Jones tells PEOPLE that Braman had been “fighting” cancer for nearly a yearBraman, who played in the NFL for seven years, died on Thursday, July 17<\/p>\n
When Bryan Braman was diagnosed with cancer, he resisted sharing the news of his medical condition with his daughters, a close family friend tells PEOPLE.\n<\/p>\n
The Super Bowl LII champion, who died last week at the age of 38<\/a>, had been \u201cfighting\u201d cancer for nearly a year, Bill Jones tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview.\n<\/p>\n \u201cHe didn’t want to let his kids or his ex know about it,\u201d Jones, 52, says. \u201cHe thought at first that he could beat the cancer without everybody helping him. And he just didn’t know how aggressive this was.\u201d\n<\/p>\n He adds, \u201cAnd unfortunately, he had so much pride that he didn’t want them knowing.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Bryan Braman.<\/p>\n Christian Petersen\/Getty<\/p>\n Jones, who organized a GoFundMe<\/a> to help with Braman\u2019s expenses, says he started the fundraiser because the former athlete needed help with day-to-day expenses. Braman’s cancer treatment was not covered by insurance, Jones explains, and money from his seven-year NFL career was \u201ctied up\u201d in investments.\n<\/p>\n The Spokane, Wash. native shared 8-year-old and 11-year-old daughters with ex Cheyenne Fisher, who spoke to PEOPLE last week<\/a> about Braman\u2019s lasting impact on their children. When the linebacker and the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2018, he was photographed cradling them in his arms on the field after the game.\n<\/p>\n