Mateo Uriburu 17, passed away last Sunday 09th of March 2014 after he entered a pharmacologic come earlier in the week in Cape Town, in the middle of a tour in which he participated as a member of the San Isidro Club team from Argentina on South African soil.
After arriving in South Africa on Sunday 02nd of March 2014 with a delegation of consisting of 90 players , Mateo , without any previous contact with other players , collapsed on the grass during a training session , a car transported him to a private clinic, accompanied by Dr. Enrique Miguens, San Isidro Club physician, who first kept him alive during that time.
However, as time went by, the progress was not good , as a serious brain injury was found.
Mateo Uriburu was treated during the past week at the Life Calremont Hospital in Cape Town but after several days of his stay in intensive care, his health worsened and he was declared clinically dead by South African health authorities on Sunday night , although, his family who had travelled to South Africa to be by Mateo´s side decided to keep him alive and connected to a ventilator, waiting for a miracle.
A Mass to pray for his health took place on Tuesday afternoon at the St. Bernard´s church , Protea Road, Newlands, and finally that night, and after the comings and goings, his death was confirmed.
Social networks, various clubs and the board of the Argentinean Rugby Union raised their condolences to the family of the deceased youth.
Letter from his family :
Cape Town (RSA) and its inhabitants join forever the history of our family through an everlasting painful episode . Mateo Uriburu came from Argentina, attracted by the mystique of rugby in this country. True to the values of this sport he left a footprint towards his new home.
His parents (Ana and Juan), his uncle (Alejandro) and his siblings (Catalina, Delfina, Juan, Jose and Santiago) have only words of gratitude for the spontaneous solidarity of so many people. You have these new friends in Argentina ...
Our kindest regards,
Uriburu Family
