St. Louis City SC Player’s Wife Passes Away After Two-Year Cancer Battle

The soccer community mourns the loss of Ilona Lowen, who passed away at 28 after a courageous fight against brain cancer. She was married to Eduard Lowen, a midfielder for St. Louis City SC in Major League Soccer.

St. Louis City SC released an official statement announcing her death through their social media channels. The organization expressed their condolences, stating they share in the grief alongside Eduard and all those affected by this tragedy, while requesting the team’s supporters to keep the family in their thoughts and prayers during this challenging period.

The club’s statement praised Ilona as an extraordinary person who embodied love, humility, and compassion, emphasizing that her memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew her.

Ilona’s health struggles began in 2024 when she started experiencing intense headaches. Medical investigations revealed she was battling brain cancer, though she had previously dealt with a non-cancerous brain tumor. Despite undergoing several surgical procedures, medical professionals eventually delivered the devastating news that her condition had advanced to Stage 4, making it terminal.

Throughout his wife’s illness, Eduard Lowen made the difficult decision to step away from professional soccer to serve as her primary caregiver. The 29-year-old German player has been absent from the field this entire season, having publicly stated his commitment to supporting his wife during her medical battle.

During the team’s season opener, Lowen explained his priorities to local media, emphasizing his role as a husband and caregiver. He acknowledged the tremendous support from family and friends but stressed that certain responsibilities could only be fulfilled by him personally, sometimes requiring him to step away from soccer unexpectedly.

The soccer community demonstrated remarkable solidarity in February when Eduard’s teammates honored him before a match against Charlotte FC. Players held up his number 10 jersey in a touching display of support for their German colleague during this difficult time.

Eduard Lowen joined St. Louis City SC in 2022 after establishing his career in German football. During his time in MLS, he has appeared in 71 regular season matches, starting 62 of them, and contributed 17 goals along with nine assists to his team’s efforts.