The Major League Soccer Players Union has pledged to donate a portion of its 2012 player fines to the Kirk Urso Memorial Fund. The Urso Fund supports research and programming focused on congenital heart defects and sudden cardiac death in youth. Urso passed away on August 5, 2012 due to a congenital heart defect after making six appearances for the Crew in his rookie season.
“Kirk’s passing was a tremendous loss to our league and our Union," MLS Players Union Executive Bob Foose said. "It was an easy decision for our Executive Board to direct a portion of the 2012 fine money collected from players to the Urso Fund. Our hope in doing so is both to honor Kirk and to help facilitate heart research and programming that may help prevent this type of tragedy from happening again.”
Crew President and General Manager Mark McCullers, who also oversees the fund is touched by the Players Union's generosity.
"It's tremendous," McCullers said. "I think it demonstrates that Kirk was not only a member of the Crew family, but a member of the Major League Soccer family.
"It's a tremendously generous and thoughtful commitment they've made to donate this money."
