The 11-year-old daughter of a former New England Revolution player was killed in what her family has described as a tragic boating accident.
Olivia Knighton, daughter of former goalkeeper and current Revolution academy coach Brad Knighton, died Wednesday after authorities say a boat carrying her and 11 others was rocked by a wave while traveling near Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.
According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, nine people were sent overboard, including Olivia who was then struck by a boat propeller and later died of her injuries.
On social media, Brad Knighton announced his family’s loss, stating “there are no words to express the depth of our profound grief and sorrow in this moment.”
“We are all still in disbelief that her bright and pure light was taken away from us so suddenly,” Knighton said, describing how Olivia loved soccer and the Revolution, and how the family had always felt the support of the team’s community in the past.
“We will need you and your prayers with us now more than ever,” Knighton said. “We love you, Olivia.”
The statement was met with numerous team supporters and community members sending condolences, including a statement from the Revolution that described Olivia as a “bright and shining light who was a beloved presence around the Revolution throughout her entire life, always bringing a warm smile and laugh to Gillette Stadium and our training facility when she would visit.”
Following a career that started in 2006 and included ten seasons with the Revolution, Brad Knighton retired from soccer earlier in 2023 with his family continuing to live in Attleboro.
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