National team footballer dies after crash

Make text smaller Make text larger

Bermuda international footballer Tumaini Zikomo Steede has died following a bike accident last week.

The talented Devonshire Cougars midfielder had been in the Intensive Care Unit of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in critical condition since the early morning crash on Palmetto Road in Devonshire on Monday, July 2.

A spokeswoman for the hospital confirmed that Mr Steede had succumbed to the serious injuries he sustained in the accident yesterday afternoon.

Although family and friends of the popular 22-year-old were too distraught to speak last night, tributes have been appearing on Facebook for the past couple of days once it became known that Mr Steede’s condition was worsening.

And many had gathered at Devonshire Recreation Club to remember a player who came from a long line of Cougars’ footballers, and was an integral part of the squad in recent seasons.

The son of former Cougars ace Cyril (Dago) Steede and Kenlene Steede, brother of Moses Steede and cousin of ex-national team skipper Kwame Steede, he was also named Bermuda Football Association’s Young Player of the Year for the 2010-2011 season, having scored a brace in Cougars’ FA Cup final win over Southampton Rangers.

Called up to the national team in 2008, in the summer of 2009 he had a brief spell at Pennsylvania-based side Reading Rage after being recommended to them by ex-Bermuda Football Association technical director Derek Broadley.

Broadley, who now coaches at Knoxville Force in the US, said Tumaini Steede was a player of enormous potential and was deeply saddened to hear of his death.

“I am devastated to hear the news. He was a great boy with a lot of life in him. I first saw him play prior to the Under-20 World Cup in 2008, where he was one of our most promising young players,” he said.

“That is why I worked with his family to get him to Reading Rage and brought him into the Bermuda national team’s senior set-up.

“He had great natural ability and was an exciting young player who was brave in the opponent’s final third, a natural finisher and regular goalscorer.

“I cannot believe this has happened and I want to send my condolences to his family who must be numb. May he rest peacefully.”

Bermuda Hogges owner Paul Scope, who enjoyed a friendly rivalry with Steede’s father Cyril during their playing days, echoed Broadley’s sentiments.

“It’s very sad we’ve lost another talented footballer and young man,” said Scope. “I consider myself a friend of the family, and Tumaini’s dad Cyril was an old adversary of mine when we played against each other. I’d like to pass on my condolences to the Steede family.”

Tumaini Steede is survived by his parents, and brother Moses Steede. Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course by Augustus Funeral Home.

His passing came just four days after the road death of Don Wildman. The 80-year-old American visitor was killed in a cycle crash on South Road as he rode to his guest accommodation to change for a performance at Warwick Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Mr Wildman was in Bermuda to perform with the Fellow singers of Florida’s Men of Markham Woods chorus. He was the oldest member of the group but described as a young man at heart by several members of the choir.

Mr Wildman collided with a wooden railing near South Shore Park in Warwick on a rented livery cycle.

Make text smaller Make text larger

Take Our Poll