Alan Ernesto Vera García, a wrestler from Santiago de Cuba and the first Cuban to win a national championship in the United States in Greco-Roman wrestling, passed away on Monday night at the age of 33.
According to a fundraising request to support Alan and his family, especially for his wife and their baby who is less than three months old, the Cuban-American athlete reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest days earlier while playing soccer.
According to user Milena Ujkic Wick, who shared a condolence note on X, Alan had fought for his life for eight weeks, during which he was hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at a hospital in New Jersey.
"Alan's achievements in wrestling speak for themselves regarding his immense talent and dedication. He was a runner-up in the United States Olympic Team trials (Paris 2024) and has achieved great success as a two-time medalist at the Pan American Championships and international champion at the 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial. However, it is the love and care he shows for Elena and their baby Alina that truly sets him apart," highlights the platform Gofundme.
There have been various reactions to the news of the athlete's passing, which leaves not only his wife and small daughter mourning but also his parents and brother.
In the Facebook group "Friends of Cuban and World Wrestling," the user Alejandro Sala recalled the story of this young wrestler as "the first Cuban to arrive in the U.S. and become the absolute national champion."
The American freestyle wrestler Jenna Rose Burkert stated that she feels distressed by the loss.
“My heart breaks to learn of the passing of Alan Vera. It is truly a tragic loss and my thoughts are with his entire family during this incredibly difficult time. I send prayers and love to all who knew him. Rest in peace, Alan. We will miss you, but we will never forget you,” wrote the world medalist in the 55 kg category.
The Cuban-American had a gold medal in the 2016 Pan American Championship and a bronze medal in the 2015 Pan American Games.
He had deserted the Cuban delegation in early 2016 in Texas, after winning the Pan American Championship and one day before competing in the continental pre-Olympic tournament for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. For that reason, the Cuban authorities did not allow him to travel to the island to meet with his family until 2024.
"The decision [to desert] is always hard, difficult, especially when thinking about family," Vera told Around The Rings. "But for a moment, I analyzed situations about my past in Cuba and the emotions led me to make the decision for that present and future," he added.
In October 2016, months after his escape, Alan Vera married Elena Pirozhkova, a wrestler born in Russia who grew up in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Pirozhkova has won three world medals in addition to her gold in 2012 and also represented the United States at the London and Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. The two met in 2014 when Pirozhkova traveled to Havana for an international tournament.
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