Matt Snook, who crossed off a bucket list item of playing in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) just one month ago, passed away after a year-long battle with cancer.
The Kansas City resident and two-time “The Voice” contestant served as an inspiration when he entered the 2024 WSOP Main Event in July. He was not only terminally ill at the time, but wasn’t feeling very well when he sat down to play. PokerNews caught up with him for a chat before the Day 1d session began, and he explained why he traveled halfway across the country to play in the largest buy-in tournament of his life.
“I had some friends get together, and they basically helped me out,” Snook said of entering the world championship event. “It’s the coolest tournament in the world, and I love it.”
A True Inspiration
Snook, a country music singer, said last month that he was “diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer January 3rd,” and referred to his appearance in the Main Event as his “last hoorah.” He knew he had limited time due to his battle with sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma (sRCC), a rare, aggressive form of kidney cancer that can affect other parts of the body. But he was still in good spirits entering the $10,000 buy-in tournament.
“I’ve lived such a blessed life, I feel good today, had a tough night last night, and I’m planning on trying to work through what I’ve got to work through,” he said. “Poker players know that poker is a grind and life is a grind. But I don’t want anybody feeling sorry for me. I don’t want any empathy. I’ve just lived a blessed life and I’m glad to be here.”
Snook said those with his illness typically live for 6-12 months, but he believed he became ill a few months before seeing a doctor. The musician who appeared on Season 8 of “The Voice,” a singing reality television competition show, was mostly a cash game player in Kansas City. But he also enjoyed tournaments once in a while, and had a passion for the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS).
His most recent tournament cash came in April, a 29th place finish in the RGPS Council Bluffs Main Event. The poker enthusiast decided in the past couple of months to stop treating his illness as he began to realize the medication wasn’t improving his condition. He instead opted to live out his remaining days to the fullest, which included competing in poker’s most prestigious tournament for the first and last time.
Snook, who grew up in Camden Point, Missouri, is survived by his wife and high school sweetheart, Stephanie, and his two sons.
