11-Year-Old Daughter Of Former Revs Goalie Dies In Boat Accident

ATTLEBORO, MA — Olivia Knighton, an 11-year-old Attleboro girl and the daughter of former New England Revolution goalkeeper Brad Knighton, died in a boating accident in South Carolina Wednesday, the Knighton family said in a statement shared on Instagram Thursday.

"There are no words to express the depth of our profound grief and sorrow in this moment," the family wrote, in part. "Our family is still in shock at the sudden and tragic loss of our beautiful and brilliant daughter, Olivia."

Horry County Fire Rescue wrote in a Wednesday Facebook post that it was dispatched to Waterfront Avenue on the Intracoastal Waterway in Little River around 12:17 p.m. for a reported boat incident.

Officials wrote at the time that there were critical injuries and that the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is investigating.

In January, Knighton announced his retirement from Major League Soccer after 16 years. Two days later, he announced that he would be joining the New England Revolution Academy as a coach.

Even from his years as a Major League Soccer star in action, Knighton's Instagram feed includes family snapshots of himself, his wife, and his children sprinkled in between posts of his professional ventures.

Many of those moments included Olivia, who was pictured in a June 27 vacation photo that Knighton captioned "Back with family again and couldn't be happier!!! Family time and R&R. Let's goooo!!!"

The Revolution wrote in a team statement that “Olivia was a bright and shining light who was a beloved presence around the Revolution throughout her entire life, always bringing a warm smile and laugh to Gillette Stadium and our training facility when she would visit."

Olivia "loved soccer and the Revolution with all of her heart," the Knighton family statement continued. "We are all still in disbelief that her bright and pure light was taken away from us so suddenly ... Our family always felt your support behind us during my career. We will need you and your prayers with us now more than ever."