Haitian Omaha soccer star Jérôme wakes after severe burns in home explosion, former teammate says

CAP-HAÏTIEN — Méchack Jérôme, a Haitian international soccer player severely burned in a fire caused by a gas explosion about 10 days ago, regained consciousness in critical care last week, Peter Germain, a former teammate and close family friend told The Haitian Times.

“He moved his body and opened his eyes, but nothing significant yet,” said Germain, head coach of Baltimore Sportif Club, who had received updates from Jérôme’s family. 

“We’re praying for everything to go well. We hope that God helps him recover—even if he’s not back at 100 percent,” Germain added.

Jérôme, his wife, and a cousin suffered serious burns in an explosion at their home in Bellevue, Nebraska, around 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 while they were cooking food. Firefighters suspect propane gas ignited in the garage, where they found a candlestick lighter and cellular phone near the gas source, according to KETV Omaha 7 ABC.

All three injured were rushed to the hospital with serious injuries, while their duplex has been condemned.

 “He’s someone who’s calm, always helping others and joking around. I can’t stop imagining him and his wife being burned in that fire. My brother doesn’t deserve this.”

Peter Germain, Head Coach of  Baltimore Sportif Club in Saint-Marc, Haiti

A viral image last week showed Jérôme in a hospital bed, his face blackened and blistered, connected to life-support tubes. Neither Jérôme’s family nor his club, Union Omaha, have responded to interview requests from The Haitian Times. 

To aid the Jérome family with the medical expenses of treating their severe injuries from the home explosion and to provide support for their children while both Méchack and his wife recover, the Union Omaha has launched a fundraiser on the GoFundMe platform. The club aims to raise $50,000.

As of this writing, the fundraiser had reached 87% of its goal, collecting $43,580 from 229 donors. 

A well-established player in the twilight of his career, Jérome is playing in the USL League One. He joined Union Omaha in 2024, where he has provided valuable veteran experience and strength to the team and settled with his family.

Union Omaha dedicated their Nov. 3 playoff win over the Richmond Kickers to Jérôme and his family.

Originally from Liancourt, a commune near Saint-Marc in the Artibonite Department, Jérôme has represented Haiti about 80 times since 2008, establishing himself as one of the country’s top defenders. Though approaching retirement at age 34, Jérôme was once a regular starter and captained “Les Grenadiers” in many of his appearances for Haiti.

His international career began with Haiti’s under-17 team at the 2007 World Cup in South Korea, where they famously tied France 1-1.

Jérôme’s club career began at age 16 with Triomphe Athletic Club in his native Liancourt. His standout talent soon drew the attention of Saint-Marc’s Baltimore Sportif Club, where he played alongside Germain. After two years at Baltimore, Jérôme earned a contract with Portugal’s Sport Clube de Mirandela—one of the few Haitian defenders to play overseas as a teenager. 

He went on to play for 12 clubs, including Sporting Kansas City in the U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS), where he won a league championship—the MLS Cup—in 2013.

Germain recalls the shy 16-year-old Jérôme, whom Baltimore recruited after the 2007 World Cup. Despite his reserved demeanor, Jérôme grew into a playful, disciplined teammate known for his soft heart and readiness to help others.

“He’s someone who’s calm, always helping others and joking around,” Germain said. “I can’t stop imagining him and his wife in that fire. My brother doesn’t deserve this.”

Another former teammate at the Haitian men’s national team, Christiano François of Loudon United FC, shared his distress over Jérôme’s ordeal. The two became friends in 2008 while playing in the Haitian League, and later represented Haiti together.

“Mechack se moun tout moun,” François said of Jérôme, which translates to “Mechack is everybody’s guy.” “You can’t be around him and not laugh. He never has problems with anyone.”

François’s voice broke as he added, “When I heard what happened, I was really hurt because I know what kind of person Mechack is. I’m praying for him and his family to overcome this.”

The post Haitian Omaha soccer star Jérôme wakes after severe burns in home explosion, former teammate says appeared first on The Haitian Times.

---

Haitian Omaha soccer star Jérôme wakes after severe burns in home explosion, former teammate says was first posted on November 12, 2024 at 1:12 pm.