The body and possessions of soccer journalist Grant Wahl were repatriated to the United States on Monday after his death last week while covering the World Cup in Qatar, a senior State Department official said.
The official said Wahl's remains and his belongings arrived at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport around 8:30 a.m. ET. They were accompanied by a consular official from the U.S. Embassy in Doha who had had custody of Wahl's remains since shortly after he collapsed during Friday's match between Argentina and the Netherlands and later died.
Wahl, an American journalist who helped grow the popularity of soccer in the United States and reported on some of the biggest stories in the sport, was 49. "I so appreciated Grant Wahl, whose writing captured not only the essence of the beautiful game but also the world around it," Blinken wrote on Twitter about an hour after the repatriation was complete.
Wahl, who had complained of respiratory problems earlier in the week and had been treated for a possible case of bronchitis, fell back in his seat in a section of Lusail Stadium reserved for journalists during extra time of the game, and reporters adjacent to him called for assistance.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
There was something Bourdain-like about the big, soccer life Grant Wahl ledGrant Wahl lifted, popularized and pioneered soccer coverage in the U.S. Above all, he shared that giant, adventurous life with colleagues and strangers alike.
Read more »
LeBron James fondly remembers Grant Wahl after hearing about his deathGrant Wahl introduced the world to teenage phenom LeBron James in a 2002 Sports Illustrated cover story. The Lakers star shared his 'very fond' memories.
Read more »
New questions about death of Grant Wahl after soccer journalist dies at World Cup in QatarThe 48-year-old who helped to put American soccer on the map died suddenly while covering the World Cup in Qatar.
Read more »
Grant Wahl: A remembrance of an accomplished sportswriter whose untimely death shook the World CupThe news of the respected soccer journalist's death at the World Cup in Qatar shook many, but for those who knew him, even a little, it was hardest to process the loss of Grant Wahl, the person.
Read more »
Second World Cup journalist 'died suddenly' after Grant Wahl passes away: reportKhalid al-Misslam, a Qatari, was a photojournalist for Al Kass TV reportedly 'died suddenly' when he was covering the World Cup just hours after Grant Wahl died.
Read more »
New questions about death of Grant Wahl after soccer journalist dies at World Cup in QatarThe 48-year-old who helped to put American soccer on the map died suddenly while covering the World Cup in Qatar.
Read more »