Death has come to a Twin Cities man who was thrust into the national spotlight when his son's opponent gave him a mat-side hug after losing a state high school wrestling title match in March.

"The world lost a great man, a great friend to all who knew him and one of the greatest fathers to walk the face of the earth," reads the Facebook post by the wrestling team at St. Michael-Albertville High School, announcing that Steve McKee lost his battle with cancer Sunday at age 51.

The unscripted moment occurred at the Xcel Energy Center, where 15-year-old Malik Stewart of Blaine High School approached his victorious opponent's father, who was battling cancer in his lungs and chest, and gave him a hug.

The crowd cheered as enthusiastically for Stewart as they had for 120-pound state champion and fellow sophomore Mitchell McKee.

"I told him to stay strong and congratulated him," Stewart recounted at the time. "It wasn't something I planned."

Response beyond Minnesota was swift. Olympic Choices, a national program dedicated to developing moral and ethical character in young people, announced that Stewart was its first Wall of Fame nominee. The "Today" show ran an 88-second segment on Stewart, using still photos taken of the hug, which had gone viral. His story was published in newspapers coast to coast.

Malik Stewart's hug went viral and drew nationwide admiration
Video (00:55): Defeated wrestler explains touching post-match gesture

Amid all the hubbub, Steve McKee said he thought Stewart was heading over for a handshake, "but after [he] gave that hug, I said to the guy I was sitting next to, 'That's a class act right there.' "

McKee had spent the week leading up to his son's Class 3A state tournament in extensive chemotherapy so that he'd be able to watch the match from a specially arranged seat just a few feet from the mat.

That proximity meant that Mitchell, too, could give his father a hug, a lengthy championship embrace that brought the Xcel crowd to its feet.

Stewart has known his own heartache. His father died of a heart attack when Stewart was 7. There are 10 kids in his blended family, and when Stewart began wrestling, the family couldn't afford to buy him wrestling shoes.

Former Star Tribune staff writer Paul Levy contributed to this report.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482