Dear Friends,
You may have read the media coverage about the senseless loss of one of our Street Soccer players in New York City, Akeem Loney. Akeem, or “Lonny” as he was known, was murdered on the subway in the early morning hours this past Saturday, in what seems to have been a robbery.
Obviously this is a devastating and tragic loss. Our hearts are with his family, teammates, and volunteers who knew him and cared about him.
“Social inequality,” “homelessness,” and the “unhoused,” sound like abstract terms, but they refer to individual human beings who must survive under incredibly vulnerable circumstances. Lonny’s death is a painful reminder of just how vulnerable those circumstances are.
Everyone’s life is a precious and valuable gift, as was Lonny’s. We remember Lonny as a bright and determined soul, whose special talent with his feet made our hearts race and faces smile in every practice or game when he would unfailingly produce a few moments of creative and surprising brilliance with the ball. His presence off the field was quiet and understated, but his knowing glances and occasional flashing smile carried weight.
As an organization and a community, Street Soccer USA builds teams of support among people who live on the margins. Everyone’s lives are enriched as a result. The scope of the challenge when it comes to homelessness and poverty, even in a society with so many resources, seems unconquerable. Yet our teams and the team Lonny contributed to are great victories in and of themselves.
Today we are grateful to and for Lonny. While we mourn his loss, we celebrate our teams and his team. Please stay tuned for details about his funeral and memorial service and soccer game.
And as always, let’s keep building and playing together,
Lawrence Cann, President
