‘Nothing nefarious’: Grant Wahl’s widow says he died from ascending aortic aneurysm

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Mission, Kansas, native and renowned soccer journalist Grant Wahl died Dec. 9 while covering the World Cup.

While family initially speculated foul play due to a recent incident of him being questioned after wearing a rainbow shirt to one of the games in Qatar, his wife put those suspicions to rest Wednesday morning.

Dr. Celine Grounder, Wahl’s widow and prominent infectious disease physician, noted that Wahl’s death was due to a slow-growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm, the rupture of a blood vessel that carries blood from the heart.

“No amount of CPR or shocks would have saved him. His death was unrelated to COVID,” she wrote. “His death was unrelated to vaccination status. There was nothing nefarious about his death.”

U.S. media seated near Wahl on Friday said he was stricken during a tribute at Lusail Iconic Stadium during extra time and could not be revived.

Wahl was covering his eighth World Cup.

The body and possessions of soccer journalist Grant Wahl were repatriated to the United States on Monday, after which the New York Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy, Grounder wrote.

She stated a memorial service was being planned, but details were not yet available to release.