Gio Reyna will undoubtedly be supported by his family when he and his teammates face off against Wales in USA's first game of the World Cup on Monday.
However, one person who will be sadly missed from the sidelines is Gio's older brother Jack, who tragically died when he was just 13 after a two-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive and extremely rare brain tumor that usually affects men in their 60s and 70s.
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Gio was just nine years old when Jack sadly passed away, and on the evening following his death, the now 20-year-old thought his dreams of being a soccer player were over after losing his brother and mentor.
"I'm never going to be a good soccer player now because my big brother taught me everything," Gio told his mom, Danielle Reyna, a former US women's footballer, according to an interview with Sports Illustrated.
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Gio has also spoken of losing his "hero" in a letter he wrote for The Players Tribune titled For Jack, back in December 2020.
"Jack was my hero when I was a kid," he wrote. "He was the perfect brother."
Gio with his parents and younger siblings
Gio continued: "I was always a shy kid, so he would include me in whatever he was doing with his friends, which meant that I got used to playing against kids who were several years older. That gave me confidence.
"When I wasn't around, he'd say nice things about me. When he realized that I was going to be better than he was, he pushed me to become the best I could possibly be.
"And if I had played a good game, he would be the first person to call me to tell how well I had played."
Gio is part of USA's World Cup squad
Gio added: "Losing your older brother when you are nine years old changes the way you view life. You learn not to take anything, or anyone, for granted.
"The next few years after Jack's death were very difficult for the whole family. Personally, I just felt lost. Sports became my getaway."
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