Former Manager of the Golden Jaguars football team Mark Xavier died on Tuesday after contracting the COVID-19 virus which has claimed more than 450 lives in Guyana.
Xavier died at the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal a few days after he was admitted. While it is unclear whether he had any underling health conditions, he was not vaccinated against the virus. Xavier was born in Linden.
In a statement, the Guyana Football Federation President Wayne Forde offered his sympathies to the family of Xavier. “Xavier, a passionate and long-term supporter of football in Guyana, served with distinction in his role as coordinating manager of the Golden Jaguars under former Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz. He passed away on Tuesday evening in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit. Mark’s unwavering commitment to – and passion for – football and his service to our community set an impressive example for others. He was a true servant of football,” Forde stated before once again expressing his condolences on behalf of the Federation.
According to Forde, Xavier had recently made a donation to the Civil Defence Commission on behalf of XY Construc-tion to support those impacted by the recent floods.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Kashif Muhammad remembered Xavier as a fun and caring person. “Mark had an attitude where he would always stay in contact with his friends even from small days,” he said.
Speaking with Stabroek News, he disclosed that their friendship can be traced back to high school and continued throughout both their careers. Muhammad noted that Xavier was so energetic that when the 2020 election crisis was ongoing, he was there protecting the ballot boxes.
He said that it was a deeply saddening to learn that Xavier had contracted COVID-19 a few days ago and everyone he knew was hoping and praying for the former manager’s recovery. He recalled that they tried to keep track of his progress but there were no positive reports since he was admitted to the hospital.
They were informed of his passing on Tuesday night.
Unfortunately no one spoke to Xavier after he was admitted to the hospital given the state he was in and also, because his phone had died. However, it was disclosed that he did not get vaccinated against the virus.
“We just got to look at that and learn from it and ensure that we all get vaccinated. He was a great guy right up to the ending. We spoke about a week before he died and I saw him at a restaurant and he was very energetic, normal. He wasn’t vaccinated and because I know that for a fact I would like to ask everyone to get vaccinated because this is very serious because it can help you avoid this situation,” Muhammad said. He also expressed heartfelt condolences to Xavier’s family.
