One of the young people rescued in a cave in Thailand in 2018 dies at the age of 17 whose story moved the world

Duangpetch Promthep, one of 12 children rescued from a cave thai in 2018, he died in United Kingdom this Tuesday, after being found unconscious in his bedroom.

The young man was enrolled in a British football academy since the end of last year.

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In 2018, he was the captain of the Thai men’s soccer team that got trapped for more than two weeks while exploring a cave in Chiang Rai province.

His haggard but smiling face, caught in a diver’s light after the children were found in the cave, it was one of the most memorable images of the remarkable rescue.

In August last year, his teammates were overjoyed when Promthep, who was called Dom, announced on Instagram that he had won a scholarship to join the Brooke House College Football Academy in Leicestershire, England.

“Today my dream has come true,” he wrote.

Just six months later, they are mourning the loss of their friend.

News of his death spread after his mother informed the Wat Doi Wao temple, which the team frequented in his hometown in Chiang Rai.

“May Dom’s soul rest in peace,” the post read, which was accompanied by photos of the soccer team with monks.

Soon, messages from his teammates began to arrive.

“You told me to wait to see you play for the national team, I always thought you would,” wrote Prachak Sutham, one of the boys who was rescued with Promthep in 2018.

“When we last met before you left for England, I even jokingly told you that when you came back, I would have to ask you for an autograph. Sleep well, my dear friend. We will always be 13 together.”

Another of the boys, Titan Chanin Viboonrungruang, wrote: “Brother, you told me that we would achieve our football dream. You are one of the people who pushes me and makes me want to improve to your level. If the next world is real, I want us to return to play football together, my brother Dom”.

Duangpetch Promthep (front, 2nd from left) was the captain of the Thai soccer team rescued from a cave in 2018. (GETTY IMAGES)

Promthep had been studying at the Vachiralai Bee School in Chiang Mai before leaving for the UK.

As an avid soccer fan, he had been a member of a youth team in Chiang Mai.

On your Instagram account there are many publications about sport, often accompanied by the hashtag #footballismylife (#elfútbolesmivida).

One of his last posts in January shows a sketch of his “ideal soccer team”: with a shirt, shorts, socks and shoes with blue and pink stripes.

What happened in 2018?

After a soccer practice on June 23, 2018, members of the Wild Boars (Moo Pa in Thai) team, of which Promthep was captain, headed to the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai on their bicycles.

This was one of the team’s favorite places.

But a sudden storm caused the narrow passageways of the cave, which is the fourth largest cave system in Thailand, to flood, trapping the kids and their coach inside.

The smile of “Dom” Promthep (right) filmed by rescuers. (ROYAL THAI NAVY)

Before divers found them, the youngsters spent nine days in the dark and without food as a desperate search effort continued involving some 10,000 people.

Promthep turned 13 while trapped in the cave.

His teammates were between the ages of 11 and 16 at the time, while his coach Ekkaphon Kanthawong was 25.

The boys used rocks to dig holes to escape, and while their coach taught them meditation techniques to help them stay calm and use as little air as possible.

The divers sent them food and letters from their family as they planned the rescue.

They were finally taken out of the cave after being sedated with ketamine.

The rescue made headlines around the world, and several movies and books were then made to retell the extraordinary story, including a six-episode miniseries that Netflix released last year.

Source: Elcomercio