Written by Noelle Hamez
During a violent storm, which appeared without warning in Courrières, in Pas-de-Calais, a 30-year-old young man died, struck by lightning during football training. Jordan D., a college supervisor and father of a 13-year-old child, was known to everyone as a football enthusiast with limitless generosity.
Everyone agrees that nothing could have been anticipated. The storm which broke out this Thursday evening in Courrières was unpredictable, even though only a yellow alert had been declared by Météo France. It was in the middle of football training at the Gabriel Péri stadium that the players of the adult team were surprised by lightning.
The entrance to the Gabriel Péri stadium in Courrières.
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© Emmanuel Quinart / FTV
The rain fell without warning, forcing players to cut short their matches to take shelter in the locker rooms. As they entered the building, lightning struck the stadium, affecting some of the players who were still on the pitch. Several people were rushed to hospital with burns and chest pain.
While everyone is doing well today, this is unfortunately not the case for Jordan D., who died instantly. This Friday, the region’s clubs agree that the disappearance of this coach, a fervent supporter of RC Lens, is a great loss for football. A father in his thirties, this college supervisor leaves behind a partner and a 13-year-old son, as well as a bereaved father and three brothers, in shock.
► Also read: Lightning strikes a stadium during football training: Jordan D., father of a family, has unfortunately died
“For me it’s a nightmare, I’ll just wake up at some point.” These last hours, Lucas couldn’t think, acting robotically, totally devastated by the death of his brother. He, the youngest of the siblings, saw Jordan as “the exemplary big brother“, a model that pulled him upwards.
The Gabriel Péri stadium.
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© Emmanuel Quinart / FTV
“Jordan was very much appreciated, he had a big heart, always a good word for the little ones, this ease of explaining to 12-13 year old kids why you shouldn’t cry after a defeat. Always very calm, invested… The club was very proud of this educator and this player. He was an example to follow.“
He was always very calm, invested… The club was very proud of this educator and this player. He was an example to follow.
Lucas, brother of Jordan D.
According to Joffrey, Jordan’s uncle who considered his nephew like a son, the young man was “everyone’s favorite“.
Lucas pauses, takes a breath and recalls the evenings spent with Jordan at the Bollaert stadium, in front of a Racing Club de Lens match. In Marek, obviously. The four brothers all shared a passion for football, instilled by their father Frédéric, coach of the Dourges club for years.
Roses were placed on a table at the entrance to the stadium.
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© Emmanuel Quinart / FTV
After such an announcement, the patriarch could not sleep all night. “I think I’ll realize it when I see it, definitely today or tomorrow. But I feel that I already miss him… He was the best of my sons, not that the others were less good, but he was also a great father, who leaves his wife and his son behind. side. He was a great kid, passionate about football“, recalls Frédéric, with a few jolts in his voice.
I feel like I already miss him… He was the best of my sons, not that the others were less good, but he was (…) a great kid.
Frédéric, father of Jordan D.
Lucas joins his father’s words and assures that, in terms of sport, his big brother was the most invested of the siblings: “I trained with him, I came to see him play, to his kids’ training and matches… He was crazy about football, as soon as he could take me to Bollaert, he would call me.“On this simple memory, his little brother’s eyes blur with tears.
For the moment no tribute has yet been organized by the Courrières football club or by the City, who must consult with Jordan’s wife to find out the procedure to follow. A Leetchi fundraiser was published this Friday noon, to raise funds for Jordan’s wife and son.
