This archive report was first published on 22 September 2019.
On September 21, 2019, Darek Formella received devastating news: his father had passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Despite this tragic loss, Formella kept his emotions in check and played a crucial role in Sacramento Republic's match against Rio Grande Valley FC.
He came on as a second-half substitute and made an instant impact, scoring the winning goal in the 81st minute.
Formella's emotional celebration raised eyebrows as he covered his face before falling to his knees, revealing the depth of his sorrow.
His teammate, Charalampos Chantzopoulos, consoled him, and Formella finally opened up about his father's passing.
Formella later took to social media, sharing his emotional story: 'My father was struggling with cancer. Three hours before the game I found out that my dad passed away.'
He added, 'I tried to not show anyone that something was wrong, kept focused on the game and did my job as good as I can. But after I scored I couldn't keep my emotion and just started crying.'
Sacramento Republic paid an emotional tribute to Formella's father, praising their star player for demonstrating strength and courage in the face of adversity.
