French footballer Kenzo Kies has been declared brain dead after a tragic drowning incident in the Rhone River near Lyon, France. The 21-year-old winger was rushed to hospital on Monday after being pulled from the water by rescue teams, but doctors were ultimately unable to save him.
According to local reports, emergency services were alerted at around 5:30 pm local time after four people were caught in a powerful current near the Feyssine falls, east of Lyon. Rescue operations were immediately launched, but Kies could not be located initially.
What happened to Kenzo Kies?
Divers eventually recovered the young footballer from the river and attempted to resuscitate him before he was transported to hospital. Despite the efforts of emergency responders and medical staff, Kies was later declared brain dead.
Reports from ActuLyon stated that two of the four individuals caught in the current were rescued without requiring medical treatment. A third person was also pulled from the water, revived at the scene and taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the French football community, with tributes beginning to emerge for the promising youngster whose career was still in its early stages.
Who Is Kenzo Kies?
Kenzo Kies was a French winger who spent a significant part of his youth career at Lyon after joining the club in 2010. He progressed through the club's academy system and featured for both the youth and reserve teams over an eight-year period.
Following his departure from Lyon, Kies joined Saint-Etienne, where he continued his development before leaving the club at the end of his contract last summer. He subsequently signed for the reserve side of Ligue 2 outfit En Avant Guingamp, hoping to continue his rise in French football.
At just 21 years of age, Kies was regarded as a talented young player with his best years still ahead of him, making the circumstances surrounding his tragic accident all the more heartbreaking.
