A 24-year-old Brazilian soccer player was killed in a shocking incident in Florida.
On the afternoon of June 19, around 4 p.m., Yuri dos Santos Vasconcelos was killed when an SUV crashed into his residence in Lakeland, Florida, as per official statements.
The local police department reported that the driver of the 2016 Dodge Durango ignored a stop sign, struck two signposts, and ultimately smashed into the house, hitting Vasconcelos, who was in the kitchen at the time. Tragically, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, a passenger in the SUV, and two other house occupants escaped without injuries. The authorities have yet to disclose if the driver will face charges.
Originally from Palmeira dos Indios in Brazil’s Alagoas state, Vasconcelos had moved to the United States around 2021. He first played soccer at Eastern Oklahoma State College before transferring to Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama in 2023. At the time of the accident, Vasconcelos was part of Lakeland United FC’s summer league team.
Tauan Salgado, Lakeland United FC’s soccer director, highlighted Vasconcelos’s sportsmanship, ethics, and enthusiasm for the game. He noted that Vasconcelos’s relentless hard work and unselfish playing style, especially in defense, made him a key member of the team. Faulkner University’s head coach for men’s soccer, Gabriel de Queiroz, recognized Vasconcelos’s maturity and sense of direction.
A farewell event will be hosted in Vasconcelos’s honor by Lakeland United FC during their June 27 game in Naples, with his coaches expressing confidence that his legacy will continue to motivate others.