Memorial Fund to Honor Russell McLaughlin

The loss of a child is an experience that no one should ever have to face.

Russell passed away in an accidental drowning on May 5th.  Please help his family cover unexpected burial expenses.

The Post and Courier ran this story today about Russell. 

Former Bishop England soccer star dies in apparent drowning incident

Ed Khouri heard the last name first. He felt a chill run down his spine.

“It hit a real nerve,” Bishop England’s soccer coach said. It couldn’t be who he thought it was. He feared the worst. He worried more as hours passed into the night. Then the worst was confirmed.

Russell McLaughlin was found dead late Tuesday night. The former Bishop England soccer standout was 19 years old.

McLaughlin’s body was recovered from the Wando River near midnight. The cause of death has not been officially determined. An autopsy has been scheduled for Friday, though friends close to the family have told the Moultrie News that McLaughlin slipped on a dock, hit his head and fell into the water.

“It’s hard to swallow,” Khouri said. “He was a huge part of our program. He was our captain.”

McLaughlin was a four-year letterman for the Bishop England soccer team. He won a state championship with the Bishops as a freshman in 2016.

McLaughlin captained Bishop England to the Lower State championship game as a senior last spring. He was an all-state selection and a Clash of the Carolinas all-star in his final season of high school soccer. He had just finished his freshman year at the University of South Carolina. 

“He’s always been a leader because of his work ethic,” Khouri said. “He was a perfectionist, a no-nonsense kind of player that raised the bar for everyone else. He was always a hard worker that gave it his all. He grew up in our program and contributed to it as much as anyone.”
 
Police received a call about 8:40 p.m. on Tuesday that McLaughlin may have drown off of a dock on Royal Assembly Drive near Clements Ferry Road. McLaughlin fell into the water between 8 and 8:30 p.m., according to the Berkeley County Coroner’s Office. His body was found nearly three hours later by the Charleston Police Department’s dive team.

The incident remains under investigation.

“You just pray for the family,” Khouri said. “May he rest peacefully.”

McLaughlin and James Cox were teammates for three years at Bishop England. They both graduated in 2016. They were both team captains, and both all-state selections. They were together with friends the night McLaughlin died.

“Russ was someone who never failed to bring pure joy and laughter to everyone around him,” Cox said. “Every memory I have with him brings a smile to my face because of how much happiness he radiated to me. He was like no other and words can’t even begin to explain how much I will miss him.”

Cox was among several people who dove into the water after McLaughlin. They searched unsuccessfully for nearly an hour before police arrived and took over the search.  

“Anyone who met Russ knew instantly how much of a genuine amazing person he was,” Cox said. “I am so lucky to have him as a friend and he will be cherished in my heart forever.” 

We ask you to keep Angela, Craig, Emmett and their extended family in your thoughts and prayers.