Bryan Braman #50 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with his kids and the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018
Bryan Braman and his daughters.
Cheyenne Fisher, who shared two daughters with the late Bryan Braman, tells PEOPLE how they are doing after his death
Braman died on Thursday, July 17 at the age of 38, five months after being diagnosed with cancer
Braman previously played seven seasons for the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles
Cheyenne Fisher, the former partner of Bryan Braman, is sharing how their daughters are handling his death.
“Our girls understand that he is in a better place and without pain so they are at peace,” Fisher tells PEOPLE exclusively on Friday, July 18. “In their loss they have gained an amazing guardian angel.”
The former NFL player, who died of a rare form of cancer on Thursday at the age of 38, shared an 8-year-old and an 11-year-old with Fisher.
Braman had been diagnosed in February of this year, and had undergone an intensive 12-week-long treatment in Seattle, which included multiple surgeries, according to a GoFundMe organized on his behalf to help with his expenses.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The Spokane, Wash. native had a fiery spirit on the field and was a fan favorite for his special teams plays over seven seasons in the league with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans.
Off the field, Braman led a private life that included his two girls, who were seen celebrating with him on the field when he and the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2017.
Bryan Braman #56 of the Philadelphia Eagles walks off the field following the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 26, 2014
Bryan Braman #56 of the Philadelphia Eagles walks off the field following the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 26, 2014
"Him and I cried in each other's arms when he won Super Bowl LII on the field,” Sean Stellato, Braman’s longtime agent, told PEOPLE on Thursday. “And I was holding his daughter in a photo, which was really cool.”
Braman was dedicated to his “beautiful girls,” who were with him in the last two weeks of his life, Stellato shared.
"I would say, [he was] a warrior in every sense, on the field and in life. He faced every battle with unshakable grit and heart," Stellato said. "And his passing really leaves a void, not only in the football community, but in the spirit of really every underdog who ever had to fight to play this game of football."
Stellato said Braman experienced homelessness early in his life before he went on to play football at Idaho, Long Beach City College and West Texas A&M University.
An undrafted free agent, Braman beat the odds and made it to the NFL, a conspicuous figure on the field with his flowing hair and his dedication to the game.
Fisher tells PEOPLE that she will ensure that his legacy lives on.
“I will make sure our kids always know who he was — how strong he was, how much he overcame, and how deeply he loved them,” she says. “They will grow up proud of the man he was and carry his strength into everything they do. His memory will live on through them and his family who loved him for more than what he accomplished on the football field.”