This weekend, personalities across the Real Salt Lake family – players, coaches, staff, fans, broadcasters, etc. – will celebrate the life of a truly special and amazing person, Roxanne Hasegawa.
Rox – as she has been known colloquially for probably most of her adult life – recently succumbed to a battle with cancer. Tonight’s celebration at Stark Funeral home in SLC is sure to bring together a cross-section of the Utah sporting, media, entertainment and philanthropic communities, one whose vibrancy is diminished by her absence but one whose impact will forever be inspired by her memory.
From Real Salt Lake’s perspective, Rox introduced us to Utah with open arms, a welcoming smile and quickly sought to connect everyone associated with Major League Soccer and the Claret-and-Cobalt with the community.
RSL Captain Kyle Beckerman remembers: “She was so unreal, just the way she was constantly doing things for others. She embodied such a big sense of the word ‘community,’ as she was always trying to help lift spirits of other folks, without asking for anything in return.”
Through gestures big and small, Rox helped RSL players recognize their power of influence across the Wasatch Front. Fundraising casino nights, jersey-unveiling fashion shows, ticket donations, autographed items, care packages on the road or the simple act of letting the locker room know about a family that needed emotional support by having an RSL player read to a child at the hospital, Roxanne was there to connect the dots and remind us all that the RSL shield – and those who wear it – possess the opportunity to inspire.
“Roxanne was certainly one of the most giving people I’ve ever come across,” said RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar, who arrived in Utah back in 2007. “Everything she did, it all came from the kindness in her heart, never asking for anything in return.
She was such an amazing person, one who cared deeply for RSL but even more for people who needed help caring for themselves, or those who maybe didn’t believe there was a light at the end of a dark tunnel. Since day one, her relationship with our players and the club was one of connection, always seeking to brighten someone’s day.”
Roxanne’s most high-profile involvement with RSL came in 2011, when she connected the club with a soccer-loving child named Jonah Gomez and his family. Jonah still battles a pair of rare blood disorders and is in need of a bone marrow transplant, but his opportunity to get to know iconic RSL players such as Beckerman and Chris Wingert was profiled on the hit ABC show, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”
Once Roxanne introduced Jonah, his mother Jessica and his sister Ellie to the RSL family, the happiness emanating from the family’s home in Daybreak was infectious. Jonah joined Murray resident and American Idol David Archuleta on the Rio Tinto Stadium field for the national anthem and was often seen circling the pitch after a win in Wingert’s arms.
“Rox was the most selfless person I’ve ever met,” said Wingert.
In an Instagram post earlier today, Wingert shared thoughts from his mother Noreen, speaking for herself and Chris’ father Norm, on Roxanne’s influence, introducing the Babylon, New York native and former Columbus Crew/Colorado Rapids player to Utah:
“My husband and I would never be able to thank Rox enough for what she has done for Chris. She treated him as a son and often called him that. She was always there for him when we were across the country and couldn’t be. Can’t count how many times I would be talking to Chris and he would be saying what Rox was doing for him on that particular occasion. I always felt bad that she was not in Seattle for the RSL championship win in 2009. It was not a surprise when I found out she was helping someone else and needed to stay in SLC at that time. We are so fortunate to have known her and she will leave a hole in my son’s heart. She was one amazing person that was taken too soon and will be truly missed by many.”
Through the efforts of Roxanne and the inspirational network she influenced, bone marrow match drives were held at MLS and NFL stadiums all over the U.S. in the Summer of 2011 for Jonah. That worldwide influence, connecting RSL and the domestic soccer community to those who simply wanted to help others, had previously surfaced in 2008, when Marcia Williams, the wife of RSL midfielder and MLS veteran Andy Williams, was diagnosed with leukemia.
Upon Rox’ passing Sunday, Williams tweeted: “Don’t even know what to say right now. So sad, speechless, angry, heartbroken. #LovURoxy #RSLfam #Ihatecancer” That was followed by: “Thank you for EVERYTHING you did for me and my family. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
With Real Salt Lake and Real Monarchs launching the RSL Foundation this Spring, the opportunity exists for the club to honor Roxanne Hasagawa’s spirit and influence on an ongoing basis. Whether that be with an annual humanitarian award, an ongoing program, or a field dedication in her memory, as Rox taught us, anything is possible. Please share ideas in the comments section below.
Former RSL defender and long-time TV/radio analyst Brian Dunseth sums up her inspiring attitude as such:
“Roxanne’s love of her family was evident in the relationships she made and kept, and it is impossible for a single individual to replicate the impact she made on so many people in the Salt Lake Valley.
“While the world lost some of its shine last Sunday – and for those that knew Rox, it wasn’t just the infectious personality and the smile, or her bedazzled Converse or the pink highlights in her hair – it was more about a person who was incredibly selfless and wanted to make the world better, always willing to go out of her way to help anyone.”
“Without a doubt, she’s one of the most influential people behind the scenes in the SLC market, and her effect is forever.”
We love you Rox
#RSLfamily Forever
