One of the Brazilian soccer players who survived a plane crash in Colombia made an emotional return to the game — wearing his yellow jersey and kicking the ball gingerly before a friendly match.
Alan Luciano Ruschel, 27, was one of six people who survived the Nov. 28 crash of the LaMia airline plane that went down near Medellin, claiming the lives of 71 of 77 aboard, including 19 players headed to the Copa Sudamericana final.
The left-back player — who says he only survived because he agreed to swap seats with a journalist — recently left a hospital after being treated for serious injuries.
Ruschel agreed to attend a friendly match organized by his friend, Argentinian player Andres D’Alessandro, in the city of Porto Alegre, in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, Central European News reported.
He received warm applause from the crowd as he walked out onto the field and hugged D’Alessandro, as well as other players. He kicked the first ball of the game and promised to be back playing again within six months.
“This is the best feeling of the world, being able to be on the pitch again,” he said. “God has given me a second chance to live. I am happy for this, now I need to be strong for the challenges that lie ahead of me.”
The proceeds from the games will go to the families of the victims of the tragedy.
Meanwhile, the Chapecoense team’s new president, Plinio David de Nes Filho, was presented with the Copa Sudamericana trophy after Wednesday night’s draw for the 2017 Copa Libertadores.
Chapecoense was named the winner after fellow finalist Atletico Nacional asked South American football’s governing body to hand the title to the grieving team, the UK’s Mirror reported.
“I would like to thank everyone, all the nations,” de Nes Filho said. “But let me, in a very special way, a very tender and grateful way, on behalf of our club, Chape, to share the trophy we just received with the one who gave us this possibility, with their gesture of humanity and respect. Of dignity and demonstration of kindness.”
De Nes Filho then called onto the stage Atletico Nacional rep Daniel Jimenez, as he reserved special praise for the Colombian team.
Two other Chapecoense players, Hermito Zampier Neto and Jackson Ragnar Follmann, survived the crash — as did flight attendant Ximena Suarez, crew member Erwin Tumiri and journalist Rafael Henzel. Follman had a leg amputated.