CHICAGO – Illinois men’s basketball coach Bruce Weber’s mother, Dawn Weber, died at approximately 6 p.m. Friday after unsuccessful surgery to repair a ruptured aorta, the primary vessel that gets blood to the heart. Weber still coached the Illini against Minnesota on Saturday.

“Obviously, despite all the great things that have happened to our team this year, a day like today makes you realize the most important things in life – and that is your family,” Weber said in a statement to the media. “This has been a great loss to our family.”

Dawn, 81, complained of chest pains when picking up her tickets to Friday’s game. She was assessed by the United Center medical staff and taken to Rush University Medical Center just after 10 a.m.

Weber was at her side when Dawn passed away at the hospital, said Illinois assistant athletic director Kent Brown.

Weber was not informed of his mother’s medical condition until after Illinois defeated Northwestern, 68-51. Meagan Weber, Bruce’s wife, took the Illinois coach aside after his post-game press conference to inform Weber of his mom’s situation. Meagan asked that Bruce not be told of his mother’s situation during the game, Brown said.

“At that time there was not a lot of information on Dawn’s status,” Brown said.

Brown said Weber would have been informed of Dawn’s situation immediately if it had been known. Weber left for the hospital immediately after hearing of his mother’s condition.

He said he decided to coach Saturday because Dawn would have wanted that.

“My mother has been very influential in my life and career, and that is why I have decided to coach the team on Saturday, because that is what she would have wanted,” the Illini coach said.

Bruce’s brother, Dave, coached Glenbrook North in its Class AA sectional final Friday night. Dave was at the hospital with his mother before his team’s game, but left to lead Glenbrook North in a win over Conant. He did not learn of his mother’s death until after the game.

“He was in the back of the locker room on his cell phone,” Glenbrook North assistant coach Bryan Haltern said. “The team was waiting to find out the news.

“All 16 guys hugged him; he disappeared in the middle of the hug. They probably would have hugged him forever.”

Dawn’s husband, Louis, died close to 18 years ago. Bruce’s sister, Carrie, died in a car crash 26 years ago. Dawn is survived by Bruce, Dave and two other children, Jan and Ron.

The funeral will be held Tuesday morning at Mt. Lebanon Evangelical Lutheran Church in Milwaukee.

The family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Dawn Weber Memorial Fund in care of the church. The address is 4809 N. 60th St., Milwaukee, Wis., 53218.