In a devastating loss for Trinidad and Tobago’s local football community, beloved former professional midfielder Randy Ramcharan passed away suddenly on Saturday after experiencing an unexpected medical emergency late in an over-40 alumni match, local media has confirmed. He was just weeks away from celebrating his 46th birthday in June.
Ramcharan, who earned acclaim as one of the most talented midfielders to ever suit up for St Augustine Secondary’s celebrated “Green Machine” program, was competing alongside the school’s former players in the tournament’s final when his health took a sudden turn for the worse. Witness accounts confirm the fan-favorite athlete only managed 15 minutes of game play before signaling to the coaching staff that he needed to come off the pitch.
It was while Ramcharan sat on the substitution bench that his close childhood friend and former schoolmate Brian Bain noticed he had slumped over unresponsive. Play was immediately halted as fellow players, coaches and medical staff rushed to provide emergency resuscitation efforts in a desperate attempt to revive him. Those efforts ultimately failed, and Ramcharan was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to the Chaguanas Health Centre.
Nickella Ramcharan, the fallen footballer’s sister, has told reporters that an initial unofficial cause of death points to a sudden heart attack. Beyond his high school football career, Ramcharan went on to compete at the top level of Trinidadian football, lining up for top-flight TT Pro League clubs Caledonia AIA and Doc’s Khelwalaas. Tributes have poured in from across the local football scene, with friends and former teammates remembering Ramcharan as a spirited, kind-hearted person and a uniquely gifted athlete who dedicated his life to the sport he loved. He died doing what he loved most, surrounded by the teammates and friends he shared decades of football memories with.