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The soccer world was deeply saddened when legendary player, Cristiano Ronaldo, announced that during the birth of his twins, his little boy had not survived the delivery. While he takes time off to grieve, the player from Manchester United received support from an unlikely group of people.
During a match between Manchester United and their rivals, Liverpool, there was an unusual display of support for the footballing hero -- and not simply from his own supporters.
As Ronaldo's shirt number is "7", during the seventh minute of the game the Liverpool fans started singing a song that is very close to their hearts: You'll Never Walk Alone. In fact, the song became the club's unofficial anthem after a disaster at their stadium, Hillsborough, in which 97 fans were crushed to death in a match in 1989. So to lend it to a player from a rival team would have been incredibly meaningful to both Ronaldo, and the two sets of fans.
The song was followed by a minute's applause from both Liverpool and Manchester United fans, which Ronaldo and his family were deeply moved by. And the soccer player's sisters, Elma and Katia, both took to social media to show their appreciation: "Thank you for this, Liverpool. We will never forget what you did today," shared Elma, while Katia pointed out that the gesture was "way beyond football."
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The soccer player's mom, Dolores, also took to social media to share a pertinent quote from Proverbs, Chapter 3, in Portuguese:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths."
In sharing the pain of his son's death, and the joy of his daughter's birth, Ronaldo has given fans an opportunity to show themselves in a positive light -- something that is not always the case in soccer.
And of course, it's given his mom a chance to inspire others by showing how she leans on her faith in difficult times.
We pray for that his family continues to receive love and support as they deal with their loss.
