Former KHOU 11 Sports Director Bob Allen, 70, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer, family members confirmed overnight.
The longtime TV journalist covered Houston sports for more than four decades and had a face and voice familiar to nearly all Houstonians.
"I really did get to live my dream," Bob told the Houston Chronicle in a 2013 interview. "I did what I loved to do, and I did it for a pretty long time without ever having to leave my hometown."
Allen joined KHOU in 2013 after more than 38 years at KTRK.
In 2015, Allen took a leave of absence from TV to battle T-cell lymphoma. He underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy and received a stem cell transplant last December from his brother Ken.
"When he became ill, he said, 'Hey, I'm going to beat this thing, but if not, I've had a great life,'" Ken Egalnick told the Chron. "He went into it with that attitude. He fought like hell, but he had no regrets."
In February, Bob was hopeful that he had turned a corner.
But it wasn't to be. Bob had been in hospice in recent weeks and spent his final days surrounded by family and friends.
Bob is survived by his daughter Genna, son-in-law Brent, grandchildren Hayden and Mason, brother Ken and a long list of friends and colleagues who loved him dearly.
His family issued the following statement thanking Houstonians.
On behalf of Bob Allen’s Family, we are so incredibly touched by the love and support shown to us during this difficult time. My dad valued his place in the Houston community, and the encouragement he received from you over the last two years gave him more strength and comfort than you will ever know. We are in the process of planning a private Memorial Service for Bob’s family, friends, colleagues and loved ones.
Official KHOU 11 statement on Bob Allen's passing:
We are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend and colleague Bob Allen. Bob was a local news icon, a true original who covered Houston sports in his own unique style for more than 40 years. He created a strong and lasting bond with sports fans because he covered the games from their perspective. Bob had the courage to tell it like it is. In addition to sports, Bob was passionate about community service. He was a long time supporter of many local non-profits, especially those which benefited children. We consider ourselves fortunate to have been able to work alongside Bob and learn so much from him during his tenure at KHOU 11. He will be dearly missed by his family, friends, and the entire Houston community.
