Moving words
Football player mourns the loss of his four-year-old son
12/19/2024 – 8:08 a.mReading time: 1 min.
Meschack Elia was missing from the Young Boys’ game against VfB Stuttgart because his son had died. Now the Congolese spoke out for the first time.
A week ago, professional soccer player Meschack Elia had to accept what was probably the hardest news of his life so far. The Young Boys Bern striker’s four-year-old son died after a short illness. Elias’ partner had traveled to the Congo with their children, where the four-year-old died. The Young Boys striker traveled and therefore missed the Swiss Champions League game in Stuttgart last week.
Now Elia spoke up on Instagram. “I am writing to you today with a heavy heart. My son Ethan, 4 years old, has left us. An immeasurable pain is overwhelming us, his mother Sandra, my family and me,” he wrote in a story. “Ethan was an inexhaustible source of love and joy to us – his parents, his brother and sister – and to everyone who had the privilege of spending time with him.”
Meschack Elia thanked everyone for their concern and compassion. “We ask you to continue to surround us with your goodwill and to pray that our little angel, without whom we now learn to live, rests in peace,” he added.
Since the death of little Ethan, Elia has been missing from the Young Boys squad and also missed the league game against Servette Geneva last weekend. It is still unclear when he will return to the squad.