Mother Of Gay Rugby, Alice Hoagland, Passes Away Aged 71

Alice Hoagland, mother of gay rugby player Mark Bingham, passed away on December 22, 2020, following an illness.

The news of her death has left her family and friends grief-stricken. The family, however, has requested everyone to respect their privacy during this time. Candyce Hoglan, Alice’s sister, imparted the news in a Facebook post on Sunday

“It is with a very heavy heart that my brothers and I announce the passing of our sister, Alice Hoagland. Alice was not a victim of COVID-19. She passed away in her sleep just before Christmas, on December 22, 2020. She was 71. As my brothers — Linden, Lee, Vaughn — and I grapple with the devastating loss of our sister, there are no immediate plans for an official memorial service at this time.”

Ms Hoagland’s son Mark Bingham was one of the 9/11 victims. He was one of the heroic passengers who stormed the cockpit and fought with terrorists to prevent them from striking intended targets in Washington DC. A former United Airlines flight attendant, Ms. Hoagland advocated for airline security for nearly 20 years following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

 Social media is ablaze with messages from friends.International Gay Rugby (IGR) have offered their condolences on Facebook.

“Alice is remembered for her advocacy of LGBTQI rights and aviation safety,” they said.

“Words escape us now, but Alice has always been a very important member of the Fog. Not only was she a mom to Mark, but a rugby mom to so many of us on the Fog and in the entire IGR community,” said the San Francisco Fog RFC.

They also added that she visited the Fog habitually at every Bingham Cup, regardless of the number of IGR clubs present.

One of the pictures in the comment section showed a happier Alice with a picture of Mark in her hand, standing with the team. It was taken after the very first Bingham Cup in San Francisco with Alice, after the Pride parade in 2002. Ms Hoagland was one of the biggest supporters of the Bingham cup and all the players were deeply fond of her.

The Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament, or the Bingham Cup, is the biennial world championships of gay and inclusive rugby. The tournament was first held in memory of Mark Bingham.