A former professional soccer player’s family verified that she died in a boating accident in South Carolina. South Carolina DNR reports that eleven-year-old Massachusetts resident Olivia Knighton was among nine persons swept overboard when their 23-foot yacht was slammed by a big wake from another boat on the Intracoastal Waterway on Wednesday.
There were 12 individuals on board, and thankfully nobody else was wounded. According to the DNR, the propeller was tossed overboard and struck Knighton. Horry County Fire Rescue reports that she was pronounced dead at a local hospital shortly after the event.
“We are in the process of a detailed inquiry that includes collecting witness statements, examining the boat and working to develop a complete picture of what happened,” the DNR said. “Our thoughts are with the child’s family and loved ones.”
A former goalkeeper for the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer tweeted early Thursday afternoon, “There are no words to express the depth of our profound grief and sorrow at this moment.”
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“Our family is still in shock at the sudden and tragic loss of our beautiful and brilliant daughter, Olivia, to an unfortunate boating accident yesterday. We are all still in disbelief that her bright and pure light was taken away from us so suddenly. Somehow we will get through this as a family.”
Knighton’s Instagram account features various family pictures, including posts about his daughter.
View this post on Instagram
Since his professional career began in 2007, Brad Knighton has spent most of his time with the Revolution, as reported by Nexstar’s WWLP. Both the Philadelphia Union and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC used his services. Following his January retirement from the MLS, Knighton took over as head coach of the New England Revolution Academy.
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