A.J. DeLaGarza awarded MLS Humanitarian of the Year award

Major League Soccer yesterday announced that A.J. DeLaGarza was voted MLS Humanitarian of the Year. The defender was also the LA Galaxy Humanitarian of the Year, after raising $25,000 for Children's Hospital Los Angeles in honor of his deceased son Luca. As the recipient of the award he will get $5,000 for the charity of his choice which he is splitting between CHLA and spcaLA (the DeLaGarza's are also known dog lovers).

MLS Insider and Backstage Galaxy have both profiled the touching story of Luca DeLaGarza, whose congenital heart defect required their first child to have major surgery as soon as he was born. When DeLaGarza returned to soccer, his story touched players and fans around the league. Luca Knows Heart and the associated logo is still on the wall in the LA Galaxy locker room.

Though their fundraising goal has been met, donations in Luca's memory as still being accepted at this website: (link). The MLS Insider story can be watched below.