Launch of athletes grant on first anniversary of death of volleyball stalwart Jonathan Chetcuti

On the first anniversary of the death of volleyball stalwart Jonathan Chetcuti at 41, his loved ones have launched a grant for elite athletes that aims to pass on his passion for sports – and life in general.

Dubbed the Jonathan Chetcuti Program, the sponsorship project is the brainchild of his wife Elaine Bonello and business partner and close buddy Jonathan Dalli, who immediately knew, in that time of immense pain, that they wanted to carry on the popular man’s legacy.

Overwhelmed by emotions at the loss of someone so pivotal in both their lives, they took a backseat to settle into their new reality until a childhood friend of Chetcuti’s, Gege Gatt, stepped in to organise their thoughts.

Now, a “tumultuous” year after Chetcuti lost his fight against an aggressive form of lymphoma just six months after he was diagnosed, the ball is rolling and a promising young sailor, selected by the Maltese Olympic Committee, has been handed the sports lover’s baton.

A year ago, on one of the toughest days for those involved in the initiative, his distraught wife had said: “This cannot stop here. He had too much to give…”

Nothing had prepared her for the outcome of the ravaging illness, and she had clung onto hope until the bitter end, even though she recalls her husband telling her on his deathbed not to fight against what cannot be changed.

“It felt like we had just swum the whole stormy sea, and just as we were reaching land, we got swept out again,” she said.

“He was an incredible example until the end,” Bonello said.

As she picked up the pieces and juggled them without her hands-on life partner, the thought of how to honour his memory constantly revolved around his love for sport.

The Chetcuti family – Elaine, Gigi and Jonathan – on their last trip, a month before the diagnosis.

Schultheis has been described as an incredibly talented youth, who embodies the values and sports ideals Chetcuti cherished

Unlike Chetcuti, who enjoyed a 20-year volleyball career, but followed the rules of every single other game like the back of his hand, his wife admitted being out of their league in the subject.

It was clear, though, that one of Chetcuti’s dreams was to set up a facility to help young athletes realise their potential, push themselves further and make their country proud.

So, together with Dalli, they donated personal funds to support 15-year-old Richard Schultheis from the MOC Youth Development Scheme over a two-year period and contribute to his professional development.

Schultheis has been described as an incredibly talented youth, who embodies the values and sports ideals Chetcuti cherished so much.

He already has an impressive list of honours under his belt and Bonello was sure his skills and determination would take him far.

Hailing from a family of sailors, he started making a name for himself at seven, and has since garnered an ever-increasing list of international successes, including the silver medal in the Optimist World Championship.

Schultheis spends six hours at school and five hours training every day and is working towards the 2024 Olympics.

His drive mirrors that of the late Chetcuti, who poured energy into anything he did, according to family, colleagues and friends.

He had spent over half of his short life playing competitive volleyball and was the captain of its national team for a decade, winning top personal and team honours.

Richard Schultheis (second from left) receiving the grant from Elaine Bonello and Jonathan Dalli, as Paul Sultana, executive director of the Maltese Olympic Committee, looks on.

Chetcuti believed sports was the foundation for life – the university of his own – and the initiative “fulfils his dream to give back”.

The principles he learned from sports – dedication, discipline, respect, camaraderie and the importance of having fun – guided him through life and formed the basis of The Concept Stadium, the company he co-founded.

The plan is to gauge the success of the Jonathan Chetcuti Program – specifically written that way to link up with his love for computing, AI and marketing – and grow it, Bonello said.

While her husband left a huge, irreplaceable void, Bonello also acknowledged that their lives are so much richer because he was in it.

His family had “basked in his light” and it has been painful. But at the launch of the grant earlier in the week, Bonello commented on what a difference a year made.

“Back then, there was so much grief. A year on, we know that love – be it for others or for sport – is stronger than sorrow. I am sure Jon is happy with this…”