Delray man found dead brought 'immeasurable joy' to family, other South Sudanese athletes

DELRAY BEACH — Makuach Yak was a youth basketball coach in Delray Beach, but he also was so much more than that.

He brought "immeasurable joy" to his family's lives with his infectious laugh and playful nature.

He "elevated the souls" of each of his basketball players around the world and had Olympic aspirations of his own as a long-distance runner in the Midwest.

And he was an advocate for immigrants and athletes of all backgrounds inspired by his family's journey to the U.S. from Akobo, South Sudan.

Yak, 31, was found dead Friday in the Delray Oaks Natural Area, off Congress Avenue west of Interstate 95 and south of Linton Boulevard. He had been missing since May 20.

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Family members reacted to the painful news of his death Friday and Saturday by posting tributes to him and his basketball players online. The circumstances surrounding his death do not appear to be criminal, Delray Beach police said Friday.

That's a sentiment his family members have echoed online as they ask for privacy and prayers.

"The loss of a child, a sibling, a friend is a pain that words cannot fully express," his sister, Nyalang Yak, wrote about him in an online fundraiser. "It is in these moments of profound grief that we must rally together, enveloping the family in love and compassion to help them navigate the difficult days ahead."

Yak left his wallet, keys and phone at home May 20 when he went missing, friends say

Yak was last seen on security-camera footage at about 6:30 a.m. May 20 after leaving his home on Southwest 10th Avenue in Delray Beach dressed to go for a run. The 6-foot-4, 160-pound man was wearing a purple T-shirt, black running shorts, long white socks and black sneakers.

Just two hours later, his roommate and business partner told police he expected to pick Yak up to coach at a basketball tournament.

But when his roommate arrived for him, he wasn't at the house. His wallet, keys, cellphone and Apple Watch were still there, according to friends. All his belongings have remained untouched since he went missing.

Yak's friends and family searched the city and as far away as Boynton Beach and Boca Raton since his disappearance, Delray police spokesman Ted White said. The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office will determine his cause of death, and the city's investigation remains open, police said.

Yak was celebrated long distance runner, advocate for immigrants to the U.S.

Yak's journey from South Sudan to South Florida wound through many states and several sports, according to a 2018 profile of him by the Des Moines Register, a newspaper owned by the same company as The Palm Beach Post.

Yak's family moved to the U.S. when he was 8 years old.

"I spent most of my time in a refugee camp,” he said of his early years in his war-torn home of South Sudan. He commonly used the first name "Paul" when he came to the U.S.

Yak's family first moved to Nashville, and then to Minneapolis for three months. His family settled for good in Iowa when he was in the seventh grade. His parents worked at a chicken-processing plant as he became a standout basketball player, according to the newspaper.

But Yak's biggest aspirations were in long-distance running. He competed in cross country at Augustana University in South Dakota and graduated from the university in 2015, according to the newspaper.

Then he set his sights on something bigger: Yak wanted to qualify to represent South Sudan in the marathon race at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.

He moved to Colorado to join the Hudson Elite club team in Boulder. He worked part-time at a company making solar-powered charging units for cellphones, the newspaper reported.

The 2020 Summer Olympics were delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while many family members remained in northwest Iowa, Yak moved to South Florida.

Here, he became involved in an organization called M.T. Athletics, which hosts training camps and leagues for young people to play basketball in the U.S. and in Ethiopia, Uganda and South Sudan. Videos posted to the organization's page show Yak coaching young athletes and sharing his experiences in the U.S. He also began to coach a travel basketball team for seventh-graders, according to posts from friends online.

As Yak's family continues to seek answers, they've taken to social media to share memories, thank volunteers who helped look for him and plan for the difficult road ahead.

"The thought of his loved ones yearning for his presence, of his friends desperately seeking his laughter and companionship, is a weight that will linger in our souls because the immense impact he left on each and every one of us will forever be felt," Yak's family member Stephen Reath posted online.

Palm Beach Post reporter Jasmine Fernández and Lance Bergeson of the Des Moines Register contributed to this story.

Katherine Kokal is a journalist covering education at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at kkokal@pbpost.com. Help support our work. Subscribe today!

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Delray basketball coach found dead Friday was athlete from South Sudan