Haitian musicians died at 40
Here are 1 famous musicians from Haiti died at 40:
Joe Gaetjens
Joe Gaetjens (March 19, 1924 Port-au-Prince-July 10, 1964 Port-au-Prince) was a Haitian personality.
He is best known for scoring the winning goal for the United States in the 1950 FIFA World Cup against England, which is still regarded as one of the biggest upsets in soccer history. Gaetjens played for the Haitian national soccer team before immigrating to the United States in 1947 to escape political turmoil in Haiti. He played for various amateur teams in New York City before being recruited to play for the U.S. national team. After the World Cup, he returned to Haiti and was eventually imprisoned and allegedly executed by the dictatorship of François Duvalier, though the exact circumstances of his death remain unclear. Gaetjens' legacy lives on as a symbol of Haitian-American soccer history and the power of sport to bring people together.
Despite being a World Cup hero, Joe Gaetjens struggled financially after his soccer career ended. He worked odd jobs to make ends meet, including as a dishwasher and a bellhop. In 1964, he was arrested by the Duvalier regime and accused of being involved in a plot to overthrow the government. He was reportedly tortured and eventually executed, though the circumstances surrounding his death are still disputed. In 2006, the Haitian government posthumously awarded him the country's highest honor, the National Order of Honor and Merit. Additionally, in 2018, the United States Soccer Federation named its preseason tournament after him, the Joe Gaetjens Cup.
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