Grant Wahl’s brother Eric reveals he will write a book about the late soccer journalist’s life and ‘what made him the incredible man that he was’ after his sudden death from a heart condition at the World Cup aged 49
- Grant Wahl died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm while at the World Cup in Qatar
- Wahl, 49, had established himself as one of America’s best soccer reporters
- He died while he was reporting from Argentina’s dramatic win vs Holland
- Now, his brother Eric says he will write about Grant’s life as a tribute to him
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Grant Wahl’s brother says he is going to write a book about the life of the late American soccer reporter, after his death at the World Cup in Qatar last month.
Wahl died suddenly at the age of 49 from a ruptured aortic aneurysm while covering Argentina’s game against Holland.
Writing on Twitter on New Year’s Eve, Wahl’s brother Eric reflected on how his brother’s death has impacted him and how he wants to pay tribute to his life.
‘On this last day of a hard year in which it feels somehow unfair to relegate Grant to a past forever getting farther away, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who have offered such kind & supportive words,’ he wrote. ‘I wouldn’t have guessed Twitter could be a force for good.
Grant Wahl’s brother Eric (right) says that he will write a book about the late soccer journalist
Wahl died suddenly at the age of 49 in Qatar, where he was reporting on the World Cup
‘And that’s a solid reminder that more good, more kindness is always possible. My social media hasn’t always been a place of kindness, and it’s not hard to scroll a bit & see that.
‘But I’m aware that events of the past months have utterly changed something in me and I want to honor Grant’s memory using the principles & ideals of our parents & mentors to try to put good into the world.
‘Grant often got on my case to put my writing degrees to work, so I think I will do that & write a book about our family, Grant, & grief.
‘Writing the book will be part of my process of coming to terms with my new reality. By telling the story of our family & Grant’s place in it, I think appreciators of his work will come away with a stronger understanding of what made Grant the incredible man that he was & why.’
Eric Wahl initially suggested there had been foul play involved with his brother’s death after he had earlier been refused entry to a stadium because he was wearing a rainbow symbol on his t-shirt.
Erich Wahl said on Twitter on New Year’s Eve that he would write the book about his brother
But he later withdrew that claim after learning his brother had an undetected heart condition.
Wahl wrote about soccer for Sports Illustrated for more than two decades and then started his own website.
He was a major voice informing an American public of soccer during a time of increased interest after the United States hosted the 1994 World Cup.
He also brought a critical eye to the international organizing bodies of the sport.
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