Gabi Mureșan, Former Romanian National Football Player and Mayor, Dies at 42

Gabi Mureșan, a former Romanian national football player and the current mayor of Apold commune in Mureș county, has passed away. He died overnight from Wednesday to Thursday due to cardiac arrest.

Mureșan, who was serving as mayor of Apold, was reportedly found in a lake near the village of Șaeș, on the outskirts of Apold. Emergency services were alerted around 11 p.m. Wednesday after he was reported missing. Firefighters, along with a rescue boat and SMURD ambulance, responded to the scene. The victim was recovered from the lake around 1 a.m. and resuscitation efforts began before he was transported to the Târgu Mureș Emergency County Hospital.

Local sources suggest Mureșan had been at a sauna with acquaintances before entering the nearby lake. His companions realized he was missing about an hour later. Born in 1982, Mureșan had a notable football career as a defensive midfielder, playing for teams such as CFR Cluj, ASA Târgu Mureș, and Gloria Bistrița. He also earned nine caps for the Romanian national team. In 2024, he was overwhelmingly elected mayor of Apold, securing almost 89% of the votes while already serving as the incumbent mayor.

“

Today we all live a great sorrow. The Apold Commune Hall expresses its deep sadness at the news of the passing of Mr. Gabi Mureșan, mayor and devoted servant of our community. In these moments of great trial, we send our sincere condolences to the grieving family and all those who knew and cherished him. (...) Our community will keep his memory alive and will be grateful for all that he has done for the people and for the Apold commune.