Look: Rescued Thai soccer children pay tearful respects to fallen ex-Navy Seal
It was the story that captivated the world: A Thai youth soccer team that was trapped in a flooded cave, finally rescued, with all the players and coaches safe and sound.
The effort to rescue the young boys produced a number of heroes. All but one of them lived to tell about it.
Navy Seals Petty Officer Saman Kunan died in the heroic effort to save the boys.
Doctors kept the tragic news of Kunan’s death from the team in an effort to avoid any trauma in the first few days of their recovery.
As the boys have gotten stronger, they’ve received the awful news.
Thai soccer team mourns former Navy SEAL who died during rescue mission https://t.co/tGw96IsqDD pic.twitter.com/elvXY5NKAV
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 16, 2018
“All of the boys who were evacuated from the cave have been informed of the death of one of the rescuers,” said Dr Jesada Chockbamrungsuk, the lead doctor of their treatment.
Chockbamrungsuk said all of the boys were in tears when they heard the news.
Youth soccer team honors Thai navy SEAL who died saving them https://t.co/oFVC1oWbBh pic.twitter.com/wGmxiL177K
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) July 16, 2018
“The boys all promised to be a good person and lead a good life to honor him,” the doctor said. “We told them about the death of Navy Seal Kunan as part of the process of preparing the boys to go back home and to lead normal lives.”
Kunan was honored at a state funeral on Saturday, with hundreds of mourners celebrating his life.
The fallen officer posthumously received the Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant medal, and was promoted to Lieutenant Commander.
At the hospital, the boys paid tribute by bowing their heads in front of a picture of Kunan.
Kunan’s death spurred authorities to bring back the cave-diving experts out of fear the team may be forced to spend months in the cave before being rescued.
The boys and coaching staff of the team were invited by FIFA to attend the World Cup Final Sunday between France and Croatia, but they are still being treated for various maladies, including malnutrition, pneumonia, ear infections and exhaustion.
Instead, they planned to watch a recording of France’s convincing 4-2 victory.
If all goes well, the team, which features boys ages 11-16, and their coach will be discharged Thursday.
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