By Mark Baber
May 16 – US soccer fan, Richard Swanson, was tragically killed by a pick-up truck, two weeks after embarking on a 10,000 mile charity trek aimed at dribbling a football from Seattle to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup.
Swanson was hit on US Highway 101 on Tuesday morning and police at the scene found his distinctive blue ball.
Swanson embarked on his journey after losing his job as a graphic and video designer at a Seattle real estate start-up, selling his house and with his youngest son having just turned 18.
Together with some friends he was documenting his journey on Breakaway Brazil [http://breakawaybrazil.com/] and using the adventure to raise money for the One World Futbol Project [http://www.oneworldfutbol.com/about/]which distributes virtually indestructible footballs through a network of organisations serving youth in harsh environments around the world, including refugee camps, conflict zones, disaster areas, inner cities, and other disadvantaged communities.
Swanson’s introduced himself on his Facebook page saying, “Hello, I’m Richard Swanson from the Emerald City, Seattle, Washington. I’m an avid runner, soccer player, and all around lover of the Pacific Northwest. You will find me running Green Lake, on the soccer pitch, or at a local pub rooting on my favorite local team, the Seattle Sounders. “
“I’m heading off for this amazing adventure on May 1st 2013 to dribble a One World Futbol from Seattle to Brazil. I will spend over a year traveling through North America, Central America, and South America before arriving in Brazil for the 2014 World Cup. I will visit eleven countries (Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and finally Brazil). The trip will finish in Sao Paulo, Brazil where the first game of the World Cup will be held. It will be a trip of a lifetime where I will push myself further than I ever thought possible. “
His friends and family mourned him on the Breakaway Brazil Facebook page saying, “It is with a heavy heart to notify you that Richard Swanson passed on this morning. His team, family, friends, and loved ones will miss him and love him dearly. You made it to Brazil in our hearts, Richard.”
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