A 19-year-old Delta man and soccer star who died after a Surrey car crash is being remembered as an “outstanding athlete, a caring teammate and an inspirational young man.”
Brandon Bassi was part of Simon Fraser University’s men’s soccer program and a Vancouver Whitecaps prospect.
A statement posted to athletics.sfu.ca says Bassi’s loss “will be felt deeply by the SFU community.”
“We offer our sincere condolences to the Bassi family and to everyone who knew Brandon and was touched by his passion, his empathy and his friendship,” the statement adds.
SFU men’s soccer head coach Clint Schneider said there are “no words to express the pain and feeling of loss we are all experiencing.”
“We lost a tremendous individual,” Schnieder added. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate, student and friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Bassi family during this extremely difficult time.”
Bassi was one of four people taken to hospital after a black Jeep was totalled in a single-vehicle crash in Surrey on May 18. The collision happened around 12:30 a.m. at the intersection of 78th Avenue and 122nd Street.
The Jeep was found heavily damaged, appearing to have struck a stop sign.
READ MORE: Jeep totalled, four young people in hospital, after single-vehicle crash in Surrey
Why Brandon Bassi will never be forgotten: North Delta grad, SFU soccer player left a legacy of empathy, loyalty and integrity https://t.co/SDHt89kfIi @bcboysbball @SFUClan @SFUMSOC @NDHuskies @TheresaHansonAD @LangleyEvents @sfu_mbb @bcsoccerweb @BCSoccerRumours @CCBLFCUNITED pic.twitter.com/AtD4M1R3hp
— Howard Tsumura (@htsumura) May 25, 2019
BC Soccer said the “soccer community is heartbroken” in the wake of Bassi’s death.
“Only two weeks ago, Brandon was celebrating an Adult Provincial A Cup Championship with CCB LFC United,” the post adds.
Bassi began his career playing with the North Delta Soccer Association before joining Coastal Football Club.
When he was 15, Bassi spent a season playing with the Vancouver Whitecaps’ residency program, and represented B.C. on the national stage.
During a 2018 interview with Black Press Media, senior staff coach at Coastal FC Steven Duffy said Bassi’s “done everything.”
“He’s played at national championships, he’s played for the Whitecaps, he’s played for a bunch of teams, got a scholarship, so as far as soccer stuff goes he’s kind of ticked every box.”
READ MORE: North Delta soccer player signs NCAA deal with Simon Fraser University
Duffy described Bassi as an “absolute leader.”
“You have kids that excel at a young age and they make all these programs and their heads swell and they get a little cocky and they have some ego; he’s never been that kid,” said Duffy at the time. “He’s just one of those guys that’s super down to earth, really hard working, comes from a great family, and yeah, he’s just a stand up guy.”
Meantime, Surrey RCMP’s criminal collision investigation team is working to determine what factors lead to the deadly collision.
Anyone with information, including dash cam footage, is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers at solvecrime.ca.
The soccer community is heartbroken.
https://t.co/ahnvMcwuSL pic.twitter.com/E4M2vsgwDR
— BC Soccer (@1BCSoccer) May 24, 2019
-With files from James Smith
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