This Wednesday’s matchup versus the LA Galaxy is the first home game during Children’s Cancer Awareness Month. As the Impact is doing is part to show support for this important cause, it is with heavy hearts that both teams have recently been affected by childhood illness.
- The Impact family in mourning - The game will be played with heavy hearts as it will be the first matchup at home since the passing of Karl W. Ouimette’s 20-year-old sister, who had battled Leukemia for 12 years. Julie came to every single game that her health would allow and was a huge fan of her brother and of the Impact. The team will be wearing a black armband for a second straight game. There will be a moment of silence prior to kickoff and all spectators are encouraged to applaud at the 34th minute to show respect.
- Grieving Galaxy - Unfortunately, the visiting team is also dealing with a loss of its own as defender A.J. DeLaGarza lost his week-old son Luca, who passed away last week from complications due to Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. The Impact will also show support for the DeLaGarza family.
- Black and gold shirts – As part of the MLS Works initiatives for Children’s Cancer Awareness month, Impact players will be wearing black and gold t-shirts during warmup, national anthems and the starting lineup photo.
- #MerciLD - Despite the melancholy that will be felt on both sides of the pitch, Wednesday’s matchup with the Galaxy will mark the final time U.S. Soccer legend Landon Donovan will face off against the Impact, retiring at season’s end. Donovan is Major League Soccer’s all-time leading scorer with 143 goals in 327 games played and is just four helpers shy of the all-time assists lead, sitting at 131. A video presentation in his honour will be shown on the giant screen during warmup as both teams are on the pitch.
