Former D.C. United midfielder Clyde Simms, who played for the Black-and-Red from 2005 to 2011, underwent a successful kidney transplant in Washington this week. Simms, who retired at the age of 31 in February 2014, was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in high school but did not make his disease public until it forced him to end his playing career.
In December 2014, less than a year after his retirement, he received a kidney transplant, but after complications from the sugery doctors were forced to remove the transplanted kidney. The successful surgery this week marks an end to a multi-year search for a donor, and Simms's indoor cycling studio, Rev'd, instagrammed the news Friday morning. “Clyde has been a friend for a long time and I couldn’t have been happier to hear the news," United head coach and former teammate Ben Olsen said. "The entire United community has been pulling for him and we wish him a speedy recovery.”
Simms played 182 games for D.C. United, starting 147. A defensive midfielder, he helped lead United to back-to-back Supporters' Shields in 2006 and 2007 and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2008. Cyde is currently in the running for D.C. United Top 20 players in 20 seasons, vote here.
