A 2026 World Cup worker, aged just 22, has been tragically killed following Iran’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand last Monday night. The incident took place as the young man was walking home from just his second day at his new job at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

The details, emotional family statement, and Aaron Avery’s final actions before the tragedy have since emerged, with the security guard being rushed to hospital late at night before he passed away a week later.

His ‘devastated’ family have been raising money via their GoFundMe page to help with end-of-life expenses, as Avery leaves behind a legacy true to his kindness.

World Cup Worker Aaron Avery Passes Away After Second Day At Work

Avery, 22, was hit and killed about 10:30 pm Monday near Van Ness Avenue by a suspected drunk driver, his family have revealed.

“This is a very devastating moment for my family,” his aunt Norma Quinn told CBS News. “He was my sister’s baby. It’s very devastating.”

His family believed the driver was speeding and was under the influence. “From what I was told, it was a strong possibility that speed played a part in it, and the guy was under the influence,” Quinn told the outlet. The driver, however, has claimed that he couldn’t see Avery because it was nighttime, and he was wearing all black, according to the family.

“You say you didn’t see my brother walking because he had on all black,” Avery’s sister, Monique Yates said. “It don’t matter what colour he had on. That can’t be an excuse on why you hit somebody.”

Avery was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, and suffered a traumatic brain injury. The family, who said they are facing significant end-of-life expenses, medical bills, and funeral costs, have so far raised more than $10,000.

Avery Has Become An Organ Donor Following The Tragedy

On Saturday, relatives gathered at OneLegacy in Azusa to honour Avery by donating his organs. Staff lined the hallway as doctors wheeled his body into the operating room, while family members said their goodbyes. Avery donated his heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. OneLegacy said his donation could potentially save up to eight lives.

“There’s over 100,000 folks across the nation, nearly 19,000 Californians, who are waiting for a life-saving organ,” said Blanca Cohen of OneLegacy. “Unfortunately, all too many folks pass away each day waiting for that gift.”

The need is especially great among black patients. Last year, according to CBS News, black Americans made up 27% of candidates on the national transplant waitlist, with most waiting for kidneys, while only 15% of registered donors were Black.

Avery’s family said they find comfort in knowing his generosity could help others. “I know this is our final goodbye, but at the same time, I know that something good is going to come out of it,” Quinn said. “They’ll have a part of him, and maybe he can turn them into gamers. Haha.”

Iran left a 74-word handwritten note following their 0-0 draw with Belgium at the 2026 World Cup on Sunday evening, placing it in the dressing room before being forced to swiftly leave Los Angeles. Team Melli have faced a difficult summer both on and off the pitch.

Geopolitical tensions back home have followed them to the tournament, creating a challenging backdrop to their campaign in North America. A heavy-handed new rule introduced by Donald Trump meant that, while Iran were ultimately permitted to compete in the showpiece event after initial uncertainty, they have been required to leave the United States immediately after each match and return to their training base in Mexico.

The restrictions have undoubtedly made Amir Ghalenoei’s side one of the most fatigued teams at the tournament, both physically and mentally. Yet they have still managed to remain unbeaten. A 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their opening match means they still have everything to play for heading into their final Group G fixture against Egypt.

Iran’s 74-word Message to Los Angeles After World Cup Meeting

Daniel Cole via Reuters

Despite having their national anthem booed and their head coach feeling shunned by rival teams, Iran have continued to show resilience throughout the tournament – and, in their latest gesture, plenty of class as well. As per The Sun, the Persians decided to leave a note thanking Los Angeles for hosting them twice at the SoFi stadium.

The heartfelt message read: “From the ancient Persia of thousands of years ago to the civilised Iran of today. The spirit of Iran remains alive and steadfast.

Meanwhile, the ‘168’ written on the note refers to the 168 people who were killed at the girls’ elementary school in South Iran on February 28. An airstrike was directed at Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School, according to the Associated Press, and the vast majority of fatalities from the strike were children.

The February strike reportedly had the highest reported civilian death toll since the war began, and has since been criticised by the United Nations and human rights organisations.

The Middle Eastern nation’s ability to rise above the noise surrounding them and embrace their trip to a country that continues to carry out attacks against them thousands of miles away is a remarkable display of resilience. It is also a reminder of how proud they are of who they are, where they come from, and what they represent in the face of adversity.

Iran’s Chances of Making World Cup Round of 32

Daniel Cole via Reuters

Following Iran’s second game, Ghalenoei was able to speak positively about his side and hope for a historic campaign. He was delighted by his side’s display against underperforming dark horses Belgium. He said: “We came into the World Cup under the worst possible conditions.

It’s possible Iran could play the USA in the Round of 32 should they both finish second in their respective groups. However, with Mauricio Pochettino’s side winning their first two matches, they would need to lose by five goals in their final game against Turkey for that to happen.

Wyndham Clark claimed top spot in the US Open on Sunday, displaying tremendous resilience throughout the tournament to take home the grand prize at Shinnecock Hills.

The final round brought some drama, as Clarke’s six-stroke advantage started to fall in the early stages of the final round. Despite this, he was able to hold off Sam Burns for long enough to seal his second US Open win, after his success at the Los Angeles County Club in 2023.

US Open 2026 Summary

Bill Streicher via Imagn Images

Clark led the tournament from start to finish, becoming only the ninth player in US Open history to win the event after going wire-to-wire and leading the whole time.

He entered the final stages with a six-shot lead over nearest contender, Sam Burns, but that quickly shrank to just a single stroke after a resurgence from Burns in a final-round 67. He secured the title, however, with a tap-in par on the 18th hole, placing him just one shot above Burns.

Not only did Clark have to contend with the sublime final round played by Burns, but hostile crowds became a factor throughout the final day.

The grandstands and galleries revelled in every mistake he made and made their displeasure known when he escaped trouble, and reserved their loudest support for world No.1 Scottie Scheffler. Spectators went as far as being kicked out of the event for abusive comments made towards the two-time US Open winner.

By the end, Clark claimed the trophy, and, while sat alongside the silverware, claimed ‘they definitely didn’t want me to win’ and that it is ‘pretty rare’ to be booed in a major tournament or have the crowd ‘cheer for bad shots.’

US Open Prize Money and Earnings

Clark will be pleased that he pushed through the comeback of his competitors and crowd hostility alike, as it was announced that the tournament purse was set at $22.5 million, which matches that of The Masters, which itself had increased since last year.

Clark will receive a giant figure of $4.5 million as a result of his narrow victory, although he will only take home around half of that figure. Still not bad though.

There was still a lot to share, and second-placed Sam Burns was consolled with $2.5 million, and third-place Tom Kim claimed $1.5 million for his efforts over the weekend.

Amazingly, anyone who finished T39th or better, which is around 2/3 of the field, will walk away with a six-figure payout, and the minimum payout is in excess of $42,000 if you made the cut.

In a nice touch by the USGA, in an effort to help out with the costs for this special weekend, anyone who qualified for the 156-man tournament will receive an unofficial prize of $10,000!