He restored Notre Dame football to its glory years

Ara Parseghian reached the pinnacle of his profession at Notre Dame and endured the most painful personal losses as a father and grandfather.

He walked away from coaching at the age of 51 after winning two national championships, but never really left Notre Dame. He built a legacy through philanthropy that he hoped would be far more meaningful than any of his many victories.

Parseghian died Wednesday at his home in Granger, Ind., where he lived with Katie, his wife of 68 years. He was 94.

Parseghian had recently returned home after spending more than a week in a nursing care facility in South Bend, Ind. He was treated for an infection in his surgically repaired hip, and was still receiving round-the-clock care at home.

"Among his many accomplishments, we will remember him above all as a teacher, leader and mentor who brought out the very best in his players, on and off the field," Notre Dame president Rev. John Jenkins said in statement. "He continued to demonstrate that leadership by raising millions of research dollars seeking a cure for the terrible disease that took the lives of three of his grandchildren. Whenever we asked for Ara's help at Notre Dame, he was there."

In 1994, his family was hit with devastating news. Three of his son Mike's children were found to have Niemann-Pick disease Type C. Parseghian helped create the Ara Parseghian Medical Foundation in response.

The Parseghians lost three grandchildren between the ages of 9-16 to Niemann-Pick disease from 1997 to 2005. The foundation has raised more than $45 million for research on the disease.

Parseghian took over at Notre Dame in 1964 when the Fighting Irish were down. They hadn't had a winning season in five years and had gone 2-7 in 1963. He quickly restored the Golden Dome's luster and led the Irish to national titles in 1966 and 1973. He abruptly retired after the 1974 season, saying he was worn out and ready for a change.

His .836 winning percentage puts him third on Notre Dame's coaching list behind fellow college football hall of famers Knute Rockne (.881) and Frank Leahy (.855).