While Kelyn Rowe’s late goal against the Montreal Impact meant that the New England Revolution would not go winless on the road, it meant much more than that to the team.
In his celebration, Rowe removed the black armband around his wrist and kissed it, as a way to show tribute to a six-year-old boy named Devin Suau, who passed away on Oct. 17th from a rare form of pediatric brain cancer.
Suau was well-known for starting the hashtag #WhyNotDevin, as a way to bring awareness to a rare type of brain cancer known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma or DIPG, which is normally found in children ages five to nine. His internet campaign helped to publicize the rare disease and gain national attention, with celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Mark Wahlberg, as well as all of the Boston sports teams to reach out to him to send positive messages.
The Revolution had a special connection with Suau, as he signed a contract with the team when Rowe visited him in the hospital two weeks ago. After he signed, Rowe gifted him his own jersey with the number seven on the back. Prior to the game against the Impact, the team hung Suau’s number seven jersey in the locker room and later had it on the bench throughout the duration of the game.
Rowe had a special connection with youngster and was overcome with emotion following the goal. After kissing the his black armband in the celebration, he fell to his knees at the final whistle. In an interview with revolutionsoccer.net, Rowe said this was the most emotional goal he had scored in his career.
“There was definitely someone looking after me tonight,” Rowe said. “There’s definitely a little kid smiling in Heaven”.
He also reflected on some meaningful words that interim coach Tom Soehn said to the team before the game.
“[Soehn said] ‘Look guys, we get to live this dream that a little kid wanted to live his whole life. We get to live it for him'”.
After hearing of Suau’s passing Rowe took to twitter to express his sadness and condolences to Suau’s family.
I have a heavy heart from the news of our loss today. There are no right words in a moment like this. My thoughts are with Devin’s family.
— KelynRowe (@Krowe210) October 20, 2017
— KelynRowe (@Krowe210) October 20, 2017
Rowe also posed with Suau’s jersey after the emotional game.
Emotional goal last night. Devin was smiling down on all of us. #DevinsArmy pic.twitter.com/5TYUN3lkDV
— KelynRowe (@Krowe210) October 23, 2017
Rowe won the Revolution’s Humanitarian of the Year Award for the fourth consecutive year this year for his work with the NEGU charity (Never Ever Give Up). The NEGU charity works to make sure children that are battling cancer have the resources and support that they need, and Rowe has been a large figure in the organization.
