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Chapecoense survivor lifts trophy 2 months after tragedy

Chapecoense soccer team fans cheer during a team's training session at the Arena Conda stadium in Chapeco, Brazil, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. Three Chapecoense players survived and 19 players perished in an air crash that killed 71 people almost two months ago in Colombia. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) Chapecoense soccer team fans cheer during a team's training session at the Arena Conda stadium in Chapeco, Brazil, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. Three Chapecoense players survived and 19 players perished in an air crash that killed 71 people almost two months ago in Colombia. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

By Associated Press January 21, 2017 1 min read

CHAPECO, Brazil (AP) – A survivor of the air crash two months ago that killed 19 members of Brazil’s Chapecoense soccer club has lifted the Copa Sudamericana trophy in honor of his dead teammates.

The moving moment came Saturday just before the rebuilt side played its first match since the Nov. 28 tragedy.

Defender Neto offered the gesture in front of 20,000 fans at Chapecoense’s sold-out stadium. He was followed in lifting the prize by two other players who survived the crash – goalkeeper Jackson Follmann and winger Alan Ruschel.

Chapecoense was awarded the trophy following the disaster, a move backed by Colombian club Atletico Nacional, which was scheduled to face Chapecoense in the Copa Sudamericana final.

Family members of the victims were also awarded medals, and another survivor- radio journalist Rafael Henzel – was set to announce the friendly against Brazilian champion Palmeiras.