Anton Walkes, who played for Charlotte FC in the Major League Soccer, passed away on Thursday as a result of a boat accident that occurred in waters close to Miami Marine Stadium.

Thursday morning, Charlotte FC made the sad announcement that Walkes had passed away. He was 25.

In a statement, the Sporting Director of Charlotte FC, Zoran Krneta, referred to Walkes as “a truly incredible father, loving person, and outstanding human being.” Krneta also said that Walkes exemplified “what it meant to be a part of Charlotte Football Club.” Walkes passed away on December 3, 2018.

Krneta remarked that the impression that “he made on everyone in the locker room and throughout Charlotte will never be forgotten.”

According to a statement released by David Tepper, the owner of Charlotte FC, “He was a fantastic son, father, partner, and teammate, whose happy attitude to life touched everyone he met,” the statement read. “Those around him became better people in all aspects of life because to Anton, and he represented Charlotte FC to the highest degree both on and off the field,”

After a collision between two watercraft at approximately 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Walkes was discovered unconscious, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Before being transported to the hospital in serious condition, he was given cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by Miami Fire Rescue.

According to a report from the Charlotte Observer, Walkes was in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area with Charlotte FC as the squad kicked off the 2023 preseason with a training camp in Fort Lauderdale lasting 12 days.

The player, who was born in Lewisham, England, made his professional debut with Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League when he was 16 years old. After making just one appearance for Spurs, Walkes was loaned out to Atlanta United of the Major League Soccer and Portsmouth of England’s League One in 2017. After spending four years in Portsmouth, I moved on to play for Atlanta United for four years.

Despite the fact that Walkes started 64 of a total of 70 games for Atlanta United in 2017 and 2020-2021, the club left him unprotected for the expansion draught in 2021, which is when Charlotte picked him up. During the previous season, Walkes appeared in all 23 games and started 21 of them.

Through their Twitter account, Major League Soccer expressed their sincere sympathies to the player’s partner, as well as his family, friends, and the rest of the Charlotte FC family. During this difficult time, Major League Soccer is working closely with Charlotte FC to ensure that all of the club’s players and their families have access to the services and support they may require.