Hardly any player in the NFL is as plugged in to their city's professional sports community as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The three-time Super Bowl winner has invested in multiple Kansas City-area teams, such as being a minority stakeholder of MLB's Kansas City Royals and in MLS' Sporting Kansas City ownership group.
Tuesday, the Sporting KC community was struck with tragedy after an announcement that former player Gadi Kinda has died.
Kinda had played for the Israel club Maccabi Haifa, who reported the news that he had been dealing with health concerns in the hospital for weeks.
"The player is hospitalized and undergoing a series of comprehensive tests,β Maccabi Haifa said in an earlier update. βThe club and the medical team are accompanying the player and his family and providing them with the full support they need.β
The club then announced Kinda's passing in a heartbreaking statement on social media, translated from Hebrew:
"Our goat is gone π. Maccabi Haifa Football Club mourns the death of the team's player, Gadi Raphael Kinda, who passed away at the age of 31. The Maccabi Haifa family hugs the Kinda family and prays that they will not know any more sorrow. May his memory be blessed."
Sporting Kansas City also released a statement:
The Ethipoian-born midfielder also owned Israeli citizenship after moving to Israel when he was three years old. He last played in a match for Maccabi Haifa on March 29.
Kinda played in Kansas City from 2020-2023. He scored 14 goals in 64 MLS matches played in his Sporting KC career.
"During his four seasons with Kansas City from 2020-2023, Gadi was a fan favorite for his outstanding play on the field, his passion for the sport, and his spirit of kindness and his generosity to everyone around him," MLS wrote on social media.
"We extend our deepest sympathies to Gadi's family, friends, fans, and everyone with Sporting Kansas City."
Tuesday morning, Mahomes connected with local supporters by posting a message of prayer to his social media following.
"Praying for his family and friends! ππ½ππ½ππ½" he wrote on X.
Gadi Kinda was 31 years old.