Miguel Van Damme, a Belgian footballer, died suddenly at the age of 28 after a protracted fight with leukemia.
The goalkeeper for Cercle Brugge was diagnosed with the illness in 2016 and battled it for nearly five years.
He is survived by his partner Kyana Dobbelaere and their child. On Instagram, his wife sent a moving homage to her late husband.
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“Our dearest darling, daddy left for his last match last night, a match that can no longer be won,” read the message.
“You left us very slowly, yet you did it again in your own way… very strong.
“You fought like a lion. We are so thankful for who you were. An example for many.
“You have made me realise that there is no such thing as giving up, even if there was only that one small glimmer of success, time and again you got over it.
“Rest now darling, you have more than earned it, you are now freed from all pain. We would love to see you.
“Big hug from your two girls. See you later.”
Who is Miguel Van Damme?
Miguel Van Damme was a Belgian professional footballer who played goalkeeper for Cercle Brugge from September 25, 1993, to March 29, 2022. He was a member of the Cercle young team.
Van Damme made his professional debut in the Jupiler Pro League on April 5, 2014. In a 1–0 home loss against K.V. Mechelen, he played the entire game.
Van Damme was diagnosed with leukemia in June 2016, during a regular check-up prior to the 2016–17 season. His disease had gone into remission after a year, and he had signed a new contract with Cercle until June 2019.
He recovered and, although continuing to require daily medication, was able to play in the 2017–18 Belgian Cup against Genk on September 20, 2017. Van Damme’s leukemia relapsed in January 2020, and he was told his chances of survival were slim.
Despite this, he received immunotherapy and, on June 16, 2020, signed a new one-year contract with Cercle. He relapsed on October 18, 2021, and is now fighting leukemia for the fifth time in five years. He died as a result of the condition.
Kyana Dobbelaere was Van Damme’s wife, and the couple had one kid, born in 2021.
Van Damme’s Wife
Miguel Van Damme’s wife is Kyana Dobbelaere. She is a Belgian woman who keeps to herself.
Kyana Dobbelaere married Miguel Van Damme in 2018, and the couple has a one-year-old child due in 2021.
Kyana Dobbelaere is a highly private person, hence much of her personal information is kept secret. She works as a hairdresser and has over 11,000 Instagram followers under the handle @kyanadobbelaere.