Benício, the 2-year-old son of Ypiranga FC striker Gustavo Simões, died last Tuesday, August 4, after failing to survive injuries from an accident.
In a post published in May this year, Simões had described the emotion of bringing his son onto the field for the first time. He said that entering the pitch with a child also symbolized passage, example and love, and showed that dreams could be lived together. He said that walk to the field carried not just a player and a child, but stories, generations and feelings no camera could fully capture. He added that the child looks around in wonder, trying to understand the enormity of the place, while the adult realizes he is sharing more than a football pitch, he is sharing a memory that will last forever.
Club and family respond
Ypiranga FC issued a statement of condolence, offering support and solidarity to the player and his family. The club said it was with great sorrow that it had learned of Benício's death, and expressed its condolences to Gustavo and his family, saying it stood with him.
On social media, Benício's mother, Letícia Vieira, said the family had authorized the donation of the child's organs. She said that even amid such immense pain, Benício would continue bringing hope to other children, calling it a gesture of love that could transform many lives.
