Nearly one month ago today, Philadelphia Union midfielder Alejandro Bedoya received breaking news that Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, just 15 minutes from where he grew up, experienced an unthinkable mass shooting.
In the team's Home Opener against New England Revolution on March 3, Bedoya wore an MSD Strong shirt underneath his jersey as a way to pay tribute to the victims of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Bedoya, who hails from Weston, Florida, attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School and competed several times against Stoneman Douglas as a student-athlete. The midfielder even walked the halls of MSD when he was there for games or catching up with friends.
"It really hit close to home. Having two kids now, they should never fear having to go to school," Bedoya said.
Seeing the kids who were apart of the tragic event speak out and enact change after the shooting touched Bedoya personally. It's not easy to speak up and sometimes having a platform to express yourself is the best way to make your voice heard.
"It was very powerful and inspiring. We all have platforms that we have to share our concerns, our opinions, we're no different then anybody else, we're a human being," Bedoya said. "Whatever I can do to offer advice, opinion, support or inspiration, I'm going to do that."
