Latest news with #LucasOsuna
Miami Herald
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Belen Jesuit's water polo team is the Leo Suarez-Walter Krietsch Courage Award recipient
The Belen Jesuit water polo team suffered an unthinkable tragedy this past season. Sophomore Lucas Osuna, 15, died suddenly on March 28 during a tournament at Ransom Everglades School in Coconut Grove. Osuna's death, which was later reported as having been caused by a spontaneous rupture of the aorta potentially linked to an undiagnosed genetic condition, shook not just the Belen community, but the South Florida water polo community as a whole. Many rallied to show their support for the Wolverines as they tried to move forward. Belen's team found the resilience to not just cope with its immeasurable loss, but to play on and complete their season. Every season, the Miami Herald salutes an individual or individuals in the South Florida high school sports community, which shows extraordinary courage in the face of adversity with its annual Leo Suarez/Walter Krietsch Courage Award. This year's recipient is the Belen Jesuit water polo team. The award is named in honor of two former Miami Herald editors, who passed away before their time, but showed extraordinary courage in the face of adversity. Such as the case with the Wolverines, who roughly a week after Osuna's death, returned to the pool at nearby Gulliver Prep School. 'We got together with the kids and asked them what they wanted to do,' Belen coach Jimmy Aguilera said at the time. 'Did they want to honor [Osuna] by playing or some other way? We were going to proceed the way they felt was right. They decided to keep going as far as we can make it. Right now, it's not about the results of the games. It's about being there for each other.' Belen met as a team and chose to continue its season. The Wolverines honored Osuna's memory prior to, during and after their first game back. Belen players wore his name and No. 19 on their competition swim caps during the match. Their reserve players held a picture of Osuna as they cheered their teammates in the pool during the match. Coaches and parents wore yellow T-shirts with Osuna's name and swim cap painted on the back as well as caps with the No. 19 on them. A moment of silence was held just prior to the match starting. Osuna's name was displayed on the scoreboard on the far side of the pool. The team posed for a picture in front of the scoreboard with a sign filled with written tributes and the number 19 written large in the middle. They presented Osuna's parents, Mike and Jeanette, with a pair of framed collages with pictures of their son and his swim caps. And in that game, they scored 19 goals in a shutout win over Coral Gables. In their next game, Belen again scored 19 goals and won its district championship after a 19-18 win over Ransom Everglades. The Wolverines' season would finish a week later in the regional semifinals after a 16-15 overtime loss to Ransom. But what mattered most to them was playing on to honor Osuna's memory. 'The whole situation put life into perspective,' Belen athletic director Laz Fernandez said in April. 'These kids' willingness to keep playing demonstrates their desire to fight for Lucas and that's very resilient and very admirable.'
Miami Herald
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Belen water polo player's father says son ‘embodied perseverance, determination'
The father of Lucas Osuna, a Belen Jesuit Preparatory School student who died at a water polo tournament Friday, mourned his son on a double post to Instagram and Facebook. Lucas' nickname was 'Thor,' said Train 8NINE gym owner and retired fire rescue worker Mike Osuna wrote Saturday, 'in true superhero fashion, he embodied perseverance, determination and overcoming all the obstacles life threw his way. 'We ask that you take a moment to hug your loved ones a little tighter and keep us in your thoughts.' READ MORE: Belen Jesuit student dies at water polo tournament His cause of death during the Ransom Everglades Invitational hasn't been released.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Community mourns 15-year-old Belen water polo player. ‘You will forever be in our hearts'
The communities of Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, Miami water polo and fitness took to social media to mourn the sudden death of Belen sophomore Lucas Osuna at a water polo tournament Friday. Osuna was 15. The cause of his death hasn't been released. 'Lucas Osuna, you will forever be in our hearts,' the Miami Whitecaps Water Polo Club, based at Belen, posted to Instagram. 'We are going to miss you. An amazing, smart, kind-hearted and hilarious person. Prayers for you and your family. We will never forget you. Our team will not be the same without you. We love you!' READ MORE: Belen Jesuit student dies at water polo tournament, officials say. What we know Gladiators' Water Polo Club posted a two-photo RIP to Facebook with one of the photos being a shot of Lucas doing a double bicep flex, a shot used by LaSalle and others in their condolence posts on Instagram and/or Facebook. A couple of posts linked to Meal Train, through which people can volunteer to provide a meal or raise funds for meals for families going through the aftermath of a birth, death or medical issue so there's one less thing to worry about. The Meal Train post had raised $69,666 as of 6:50 p.m. Saturday and volunteer cook slots were filling up into May. The school Lucas had attended since the 2020-21 school year posted to Facebook Saturday morning, when it hosted a prayer service for Lucas. 'We are united as a faith community to mourn our brother Lucas Osuna '27 and support his family and one another. Together we will pray for the repose of his soul and comfort those he loved and loved him. May the love of God and the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ bless and console us during this time of sorrow - Our Lady of Belen, Pray for Us. 'Lord God, you are attentive to the voice of our pleading. Let us find in your Son comfort in our sadness, certainty in our doubt, and courage to live through this hour. Make our faith strong through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Miami Herald
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Community mourns 15-year-old Belen water polo player. ‘You will forever be in our hearts'
The communities of Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, Miami water polo and fitness took to social media to mourn the sudden death of Belen sophomore Lucas Osuna at a water polo tournament Friday. Osuna was 15. The cause of his death hasn't been released. 'Lucas Osuna, you will forever be in our hearts,' the Miami Whitecaps Water Polo Club, based at Belen, posted to Instagram. 'We are going to miss you. An amazing, smart, kind-hearted and hilarious person. Prayers for you and your family. We will never forget you. Our team will not be the same without you. We love you!' Gladiators' Water Polo Club posted a two-photo RIP to Facebook with one of the photos being a shot of Lucas doing a double bicep flex, a shot used by LaSalle and others in their condolence posts on Instagram and/or Facebook. A couple of posts linked to Meal Train, through which people can volunteer to provide a meal or raise funds for meals for families going through the aftermath of a birth, death or medical issue so there's one less thing to worry about. The Meal Train post had raised $69,666 as of 6:50 p.m. Saturday and volunteer cook slots were filling up into May. The school Lucas had attended since the 2020-21 school year posted to Facebook Saturday morning, when it hosted a prayer service for Lucas. 'We are united as a faith community to mourn our brother Lucas Osuna '27 and support his family and one another. Together we will pray for the repose of his soul and comfort those he loved and loved him. May the love of God and the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ bless and console us during this time of sorrow - Our Lady of Belen, Pray for Us. 'Lord God, you are attentive to the voice of our pleading. Let us find in your Son comfort in our sadness, certainty in our doubt, and courage to live through this hour. Make our faith strong through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Miami Herald
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Belen Jesuit student dies at water polo tournament, officials say. What we know
An annual water polo tournament on Friday ended in tragedy as a sophomore athlete from Belen Jesuit Preparatory School died at the event, officials said. Around 3 p.m., Belen Jesuit announced that Lucas Osuna, a sophomore, had unexpectedly died. The school described him as an outstanding student loved by many who has greatly impacted those who've known him since he started at Belen Jesuit in sixth grade. 'It is with great sorrow and regret that we confirm the unexpected death of one of our beloved students,' the school said. 'During this moment of unimaginable grief, we ask the community for your prayers. We ask for privacy for his family during this time and most of all prayers for the repose of his soul and comfort to those he loved and loved him.' Osuna was a member of Belen Jesuit's water polo team and died while the team was participating in the Ransom Everglades Invitational. This annual regular-season water polo tournament usually hosts several of the top teams in the state. It's unclear if Osuna died during a match, but school officials said more information will be released in the coming days.
