Duangphet Phromthep, known to his friends as Dom, was given a second chance at life when he was just 12 years old. At the time, he was captain of his soccer team in Thailand. One day, after soccer practice, Dom, the rest of his team and their coach, Ekkaphon Kanthawong, all decided to go explore the caves in the Chiang Rai Province in northern Thailand. Unfortunately, the entrance to the cave flooded, and they were unable to escape. 

Nine days later, a diver discovered the trapped soccer team. Another eight days later, all 14 of the people trapped in the cave were successfully rescued. A Netflix series called “Thai Cave Rescue,” and an Amazon movie called “Thirteen Lives” were later made about the cave rescue in Thailand.

In 2022, Dom’s dream had come true. He received a scholarship to Brooke House College Football Academy in England.

 

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Unfortunately, Dom never made it home again. On Sunday February 12, 2023, a teacher found Dom unconscious in his dorm room. He was taken to the hospital and ended up dying while at the hospital. He was only 17 years old.

No cause of death has been confirmed, but police do not suspect foul play. They think some sort of accident happened.

In a virtual news conference, Dom’s mother, Thanaporn Duangthep, expressed thankfulness that her son’s soccer dreams were able to come true before he died. 

On Facebook, Kanthawong, the coach who was trapped in the cave with Dom, expressed sorrow at his friend’s death. He wrote, “Didn’t you ask me to cheer you once you’re in the national league? Why did you break the promise? Didn’t we make all the plans when you come back to play football and go cycling with us?” He added, “Since you were young, you kept saying that you wanted to play in the national league. Why didn’t you do as you said?”

Ian Smith, the president of Brooke House College Football Academy, said in a statement, “This event has left our college community deeply saddened and shaken.” Smith added, “We unite in grief with all of Dom’s family, friends, former teammates and those involved in all parts of his life, as well as everyone affected in any way by this loss in Thailand and throughout the college’s global family.”

Watch the video below to learn more about Dom’s life and his mysterious death.