| Mike Vulpo 30. März 2015 – 18:04
Soccer’s biggest stars are coming together to remember UC Berkeley student Eloi Vasquez.
Just two days after the Cal freshman was reported missing after leaving a University of Southern California fraternity party, Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Monday that the midfielder was killed after stepping onto a Los Angeles freeway.
According to officials, Vasquez was struck on the eastbound 10 interstate Saturday morning around 2:25 a.m. The Los Angeles Times also reported a car traveling at 60 mph in the No. 4 lane hit him and simply was “unable to avoid the pedestrian.”
Vasquez’s last known destination was at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house where he reportedly told friends he was going to go for a walk.
As soon as police confirmed the pedestrian involved was in fact Vasquez, several soccer athletes expressed their condolences on social media.
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“Thoughts and prayers out to the family of Eloi Vasquez,” Team USA soccer member Alex Morgan tweeted. “A sad day for the CAL soccer family.”
Los Angeles Galaxy player AJ DeLaGarza echoed the sentiments by tweeting, “Thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Eloi Vasquez. Tragic news.”
Singer John Mayer and athlete Abby Wambach also shared their hopes online that the freshman would make a safe return before the tragic news broke.
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“It was a safe bet he was headed to the MLS,” head coach Kevin Grimes said at a press conference Monday after Vasquez’s death was announced. “Eloi was a wonderful teammate. He was very close to all of his players. And our guys are grieving pretty hard right now.”
While the support from the soccer community is appreciated, police said Vasquez’s family is also heartbroken over the news.
“The family is understandably very distraught and has respectfully asked for privacy,” police said in a statement. Our thoughts and prayers certainly go out to the family.
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