Philadelphia Union midfielder Alejandro Bedoya had more than soccer on his mind during his team's road match against the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday.
Bedoya was wearing the captain's armband for the match, which was emblazoned with the initials "LM" in honor of Lucy McCabe, a three-year-old member of the Union's #Fearless43 who recently passed away from pediatric cancer. The #Fearless43 is part of the Union's contribution to MLS' Kick Childhood Cancer campaign, with the club teaming up 43 different patients with Union players to design custom cleats and apparel that are worn during warmups for the team's annual Childhood Cancer Awareness Night.
Bedoya had struck up a bond with McCabe as part of the program. When he struck for the Union's first goal of Wednesday's match in the 70th minute of an eventual 2-1 victory, Bedoya celebrated in her honor, removing the armband and holding it skyward.
"That was just my tribute to her, holding it up in the air to the sky," Bedoya told reporters after the match. "All the best to her family. I'm sad to see her go, I just remember the day when I was holding her on my lap at the stadium, taking pictures with her and seeing her smile. So, that goal was for her."
Check out what all of what the teams around MLS are doing for the Kick Childhood Cancer campaign here.
