The Bay Area community — its sports teams included — is reeling from San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee's untimely death early Tuesday.
The San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Golden State Warriors joined a slew of state politicians and city leaders in expressing their grief.
Jed York, the chief executive officer of the 49ers, took to Twitter, saying, "So saddened by the loss of Mayor Ed Lee. My thoughts and prayers are with his family."
The 49ers also released a statement.
"The citizens of San Francisco and the greater Bay Area have lost a wonderful man and a tremendous leader with the passing of Mayor Lee. Our hearts go out to Anita, Tania, Brianna and his entire family. Ed was a friend that we came to admire deeply for his compassion for others and his tireless work to effect positive change in both his city and throughout society," it said.
Lee, 65, was San Francisco's first Asian-American mayor who was elected into office in 2011. Board of Supervisors President London Breed has succeeded him as acting mayor.
The Warriors issued a statement that said in part that the NBA champions are “stunned” by Lee’s death and will miss him.
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“The lasting impact he leaves on the City of San Francisco is a timeless tribute to his incredible leadership and vision,” the Warriors wrote. “His love and passion for sports, including the Warriors, defined him as much as his witty humor and engaging personality. We will be eternally grateful for his commitment to the building of Chase Center — once termed his ‘legacy project’ as Mayor — and his dedication to making San Francisco one of the greatest cities in the world.”
The Giants echoed the same sentiment about Lee, with whom, they said, team players have “shared so many wonderful memories.”
“He was a true San Franciscan who devoted his life to serving our great city and to supporting those most in need. He was the Giants' number one fan,” their statement said.
The team's CEO Larry Baer commended Lee for being a "cheerleader" and "supporter" of San Francisco. He was an "amazingly decent and caring man who loved our city," Baer concluded.
