The US soccer community lost one of its most beloved voices on Thursday night, as the Total Soccer Show podcast’s Taylor Rockwell announced the following morning that his longtime co-host and business partner Daryl Grove lost his battle with colon and liver cancer.
Goodbye, to our friend. https://t.co/6eTZsYOUCT
— Total Soccer Show (@TotalSoccerShow) October 23, 2020
Grove, 40, was unexpectedly diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer when he experienced stomach pains during a trip to Florida with his wife, Shannon O’Neill, in January 2019. He continued to record and write in the face of the grave prognosis and his family were lifted by an outpouring of both emotional and financial support from listeners and fans, who have contributed over $150,000 and counting via a GoFundMe campaign to assist with the family’s medical bills and expenses.
Grove’s aggressive tumors were held at bay by a range of immunotherapy, chemotherapy, surgeries and other treatments at VCU Massey Cancer Center in Richmond, as well as a clinical trial at Massachusetts General Hospital that required regular trips to Boston. But his condition took a dramatic turn for the worse earlier this fall and earlier this week doctors informed him and Shannon that they had exhausted all means at their disposal. He passed away surrounded by loved ones.
Grove and Rockwell founded TSS in 2009, initially as a half-hour radio show on WRIR, an over-the-air station in their home community of Richmond, Virginia. The duo soon started a podcast to expand on conversations that didn’t fit into that timeframe and before long, their passion project blossomed into a full-time job with several episodes a week, a growing network of sponsors and affiliate shows and thousands of listeners across North America. Last year they joined in partnership with The Athletic to co-produce that site’s soccer podcasts.
Born and raised in Halesowen, England, Grove emigrated to the United States after meeting Shannon while studying in Ireland. He was a passionate Wolverhampton Wanderers supporter and a strikingly kind and outgoing personality who inspired many, not only with his podcasting work but as a soccer writer and editor for Paste magazine and other outlets.
The U.S. Soccer community lost a treasured voice today, and the #USMNT one of its biggest fans.
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) October 23, 2020
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Daryl Grove. https://t.co/JzkCecr0Vy
Taylor has great taste in podcast-mates and music. And his words are more coherent than anything I’ve been able to come up with.
— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) October 23, 2020
Gonna miss Daryl pretty much forever. https://t.co/PfSq92cFcm
Beautiful tribute to a wonderful man. Rest easy, Daryl. https://t.co/eAzWmrpybl
— Andrew Wiebe (@andrew_wiebe) October 23, 2020
Rest in peace, Daryl Grove. The American soccer community has lost an esteemed and beloved voice today, one we were lucky to know as a friend and work with as a colleague. Our deepest condolences to his family. https://t.co/gw6yIeMZbn
— The Athletic Soccer (@TheAthleticSCCR) October 23, 2020
RIP to our dear friend Daryl Grove. One of the most intelligent, funny, thoughtful, honest, and goddamn gulliest human beings we've ever encountered. We are lucky to have had you in our lives.❤️ https://t.co/6XGec8vPr7 pic.twitter.com/i19QGXa6yd
— The Cooligans (@SoccerCooligans) October 23, 2020
RIP Daryl Grove. Sending love to everyone in Richmond ❤️ https://t.co/QiTMltnAVt
— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) October 23, 2020
An incredibly sad day.
— Paul Tenorio (@PaulTenorio) October 23, 2020
Thinking about Daryl this morning, sending my love to his family and friends, to Taylor and the TSS community. https://t.co/p0sWLnzP26
Was always amazed from afar at @TotalSoccerShow. A pod w/ no network backing, built from ground became 🇺🇸 pod of record. Got to meet Daryl & Taylor a couple years back, Within minutes felt like we were old friends. I can say now you are family.
— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) October 23, 2020
RIP Daryl. We ❤️ u. pic.twitter.com/jMJMheYwlC
Sending all of my love to Daryl’s family, to Taylor and to everyone else hurting. So overwhelmingly sad. https://t.co/ALpMDmATfI
— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) October 23, 2020
Devastating. Love to Daryl's family. May his memory live on in the memory of all those who listened to TSS https://t.co/PpWkOeCix5 https://t.co/AYh1fZZpv2
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) October 23, 2020