Columbus Crew's Jonathan Mensah pays tribute to Kirk Urso, Matiss Kivlenieks during goal celebration
Jacob MyersDuring the Crew's 4-0 win against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the season opener at Lower.com Field on Saturday, Crew captain Jonathan Mensah was handed a T-shirt after Luis Diaz's goal in the 84th minute and held it up to the crowd.
What did it say?
Even though their names have faded from being at the front of fans' memories, Mensah said he wanted to pay tribute to two Columbus athletes who have passed.
In reference to former Crew player Kirk Urso and former Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks, Mensah got a white T-shirt and put black letters on it to spell out, "#KirkUrsoForever," and "#KiviForever."
"Such a young guy passing that way, I really felt that," Mensah said.
Last season after the tragic death of Kivlenieks due to a firework accident, Mensah helped the Nordecke supporters' section paint a two-stick sheet that honored Kivlenieks during a game on July 17, 2021.
Mensah took the first game of this season to let everyone know it was still on his mind. Once he had the idea, he asked a friend to help him make the shirt and saved it for the appropriate moment on Saturday.
Urso died in 2012 due to a rare heart condition at the age of 22. He has continued to be remembered each season by the club and fans on the day of his death, Aug. 5.
"I put their numbers there to pay tribute to them," Mensah said. "Young guys in the same game we're in, sports, and they pass like that. You always think about these things and always great to honor them."
