Not everyone had a great Independence Day in the United States, as an afternoon of outdoor fun quickly turned into a nightmare for one futbolero. San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Matheus Silva is currently in “critical but stable condition” after being rescued from Lake Tahoe on July 4th.
The Brazilian 20-year-old was pulled from the lake before being given life-saving resuscitation on the scene; he was then taken to a nearby hospital, where he was stabilized. He has since been airlifted to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, according to a statement from the San Jose Earthquakes organization. No word yet on what the accident itself entailed, but it appears to have occurred while Silva was swimming in the famous Sierra Nevada lake.
Former teammates and Earthquakes supporters quickly took to social media to spread support and prayers for Silva and his family following the news of the accident. Phoenix Rising FC goalkeeper, Carl Woszczynski tweeted out, “So sad to hear about a former teammate Matheus Silva. Just saw him Friday and he was happy as ever. Prayers to him and his family.”
https://twitter.com/QuakesEpicenter/status/882469400560812036
Accidents like this spark an interesting debate over how careful athletes should be in their recreational activities. Surely, this could happen to anyone, but there is a long and varied history of athletes injuring themselves outside of their sports; for example, NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson broke his wrist after falling off the roof of a golf cart, while Tigers pitcher Joel Zumaya once injured himself playing Guitar Hero.
Events like these, and like Silva’s seemingly benign swim turning into near-catastrophe, remind both fans and athletes themselves that they are still human, and still vulnerable to the ravages of injury and harm that are present in the day-to-day. Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery for Silva, and for more caution from athletes in the future.