WIGAN ATHLETIC HAVE revealed that former full-back Juan Carlos Garcia has passed away.
The 29-year-old lost a battle with leukaemia and died in his native Honduras last night with his wife and family by his side.
Garcia joined the Latics in July 2013 from Honduran club Club Deportivo Olimpia and spent three years at the club — making just one senior appearance in a League Cup tie against Manchester City.
He also had a spell on loan in La Liga with Tenerife but returned to England and remained there to receive treatment with the support of Wigan and the PFA players’ union even after his contract at the club ended in 2016.
Capped 34 times by Honduras, the defender featured at the 2014 World Cup finals.
This is such tragic news and we send our deepest condolences as a club to Juan Carlos’ family and friends who have had to sit by and watch this sad story unfold over the past few years,” said Wigan chairman David Sharpe in a statement.
“We have offered what support we can but, despite the best possible treatment at Christie’s Hospital, Juan Carlos has tragically not been able to beat this terrible illness. At just 29 years old, he was far too young to be taken and our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.”
Wigan, who are managed by former Sligo Rovers boss Paul Cook, will hold a minute’s silence ahead of their League One match against Peterborough United at the DW Stadium this Saturday.
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