[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 194 (Wednesday, December 14, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H9738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING THE LIFE OF GRANT WAHL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Costa). The Chair recognizes the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Kilmer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KILMER. Mr. Speaker, most people knew Grant Wahl as a leading 
soccer journalist. I knew him as a classmate and as someone I admired.
  Sadly, we lost Grant this past weekend, and I join the many people 
here in America and around the world who are celebrating his life.
  Grant and I went to college together. Before he covered soccer for 
worldwide news organizations, he was the sportswriter for our school 
paper.
  As an undergrad, Grant visited South America and fell in love with 
soccer. While he was there, he watched clubs train, watched games, and 
developed the passion of a convert.
  By 1998, he was covering the World Cup for Sports Illustrated. How 
cool is that?
  His love of soccer was infectious. He made others appreciate this 
sport because he did. In one commemoration of Grant, Christian Stone 
wrote: ``Wahl became the definitive chronicler of the sport in North 
America, a world traveler who applied rigor, depth, and passion, 
without being pedantic or precious, to his coverage. He visited six of 
the seven continents several times over, introduced the world to a 
generation of U.S. woman rock stars . . ., coaxed private audiences out 
of some of the planet's most reclusive stars . . . , and led a life of 
globetrotting freedom, adventure, and pleasure that was Bourdain-
like.''
  But Grant's greatest passion was not the sport he loved. It was the 
woman he loved, Celine, who he met at Princeton and married in 2001. 
Celine is an extraordinary doctor in her own right, an infectious 
disease expert who so many have looked to throughout the COVID 
pandemic.
  In Celine, Grant found a spouse who matched him as someone at the top 
of their field in a career dedicated to improving the world.
  Grant was accomplished and yet humble. He was driven and yet kind. He 
was a champion for social justice. He was a strong advocate for pay 
equity for women players.
  On November 21, when World Cup security detained Grant for wearing a 
shirt with a pro-LGBTQ+ equality message, people saw Grant's name in 
news headlines everywhere.
  Grant's refusal to change his shirt offered a glimpse of the 
integrity he displayed throughout his life, both in journalism and 
toward those that he loved.
  Many of us were fans of Grant when he worked for Sports Illustrated, 
when he published books, when he developed amazing podcasts. We 
marveled at his documentary, ``Exploring Planet Futbol,'' where he 
traveled the world exploring the glory of the sport he loved.
  I admit, over the last few days, I have spent time diving into the 
Sports Illustrated vault, listening to his podcast. Like many of his 
classmates, colleagues, and friends, I have come away with a feeling of 
just being proud of him.
  But Grant wasn't just an extraordinary journalist. He was an 
extraordinary person. He was a good and generous and kind man. He had a 
phenomenal smile that made people feel welcome in his presence.
  Going forward, when I watch soccer, when I read amazing 
sportswriting, when I see someone show courage or kindness, I will 
think of Grant Wahl.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in offering sincere condolences to 
Celine, to all of his loved ones, and to all who cared for him.

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