{{Short description|American soccer referee (1973–2023)}} {{Multiple issues| {{More citations needed|biography|date=May 2023}} {{Sources exist|date=May 2023}} }} {{Infobox person | name = Terry Vaughn | birth_date = {{birth date|1973|04|01}} | birth_place = Mount Vernon, Iowa, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2023|05|04|1973|04|01}} | death_place = | occupation = Soccer referee | years_active = FIFA Referee (2004-2011)<br> MLS Referee (1998-2012) }}
'''Terry Vaughn''' (April 1, 1973 – May 4, 2023) was an American soccer referee.
== Early life == Terry Vaughn was born in Mount Vernon, Iowa, on April 1, 1973. He graduated from Iowa City West High School in 1992, where he was a wrestler and soccer player. He attended Coe College and decided to enter refereeing instead of continuing his career as a player.<ref name="Gazette"/>
== Career == In 1998 Vaughn became a National referee for the United States Soccer Federation. He continued to hold a referee license until his retirement in 2012. During his career, Vaughn officiated 237 Major League Soccer matches.<ref name="MLS-Obit">{{cite news |date=May 4, 2023 |title=MLS mourns the passing of MLS and FIFA referee Terry Vaughn |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-mourns-the-passing-of-mls-and-fifa-referee-terry-vaughn |work=MLSsoccer.com |accessdate=May 4, 2023}}</ref>
Vaughn was appointed to the FIFA panel in 2003 and oversaw matches in the 2009 and 2010 CONCACAF Champions League, the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, and the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Vaughn was also a member of the FIFA Panel for the United States Soccer Federation.<ref name="MLS-Obit"/>
== Personal life == Vaughn was diagnosed with Huntington's disease, an inherited neurodegenerative disease, at the age of 30 in 2003. He retired from refereeing in 2012 after his symptoms worsened.<ref name="Boehm">{{cite news |last=Boehm |first=Terry |date=May 16, 2017 |title=Soccer community rallies behind Terry Vaughn's battle with Huntington's |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/soccer-community-rallies-behind-terry-vaughns-battle-huntingtons |work=MLSsoccer.com |accessdate=May 4, 2023}}</ref> He died on May 4, 2023.<ref name="Gazette">{{cite news |last=Ford |first=Nathan |date=May 4, 2023 |title=Terry Vaughn, former FIFA and MLS referee from Eastern Iowa, dies after Huntington's Disease battle |url=https://www.thegazette.com/soccer/terry-vaughn-former-fifa-and-mls-referee-from-eastern-iowa-dies-after-huntingtons-disease-battle/ |work=The Gazette |location=Cedar Rapids, Iowa |accessdate=May 4, 2023}}</ref>
As a show of solidarity, PRO referees started wearing blue wristbands with "HD" (for Huntington's Disease) during May, Huntington's Disease Awareness Month.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 4, 2023 |title=Terry Vaughn: 1973-2023 |url=https://proreferees.com/2023/05/04/terry-vaughn-1973-2023/?fbclid=IwAR1rDP5Fhob76MFjn5Q7uRKJefGE_XWvj--P19hNHuFQ3AZ4eMoe6L-b2Gg |access-date=May 5, 2023 |website=Professional Referee Organization (PRO)}}</ref> This began a trend of referees from grassroots to PRO wearing the bands year - round. US Soccer's official uniform supplier began selling the wristbands with the proceeds going to Terry Vaughn's family to help offset medical costs.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 5, 2023 |title=Official Sports International |url=https://officialsports.com/1443hd-blue-hd-wristband-set-of-2/?fbclid=IwAR0QzCz7sS4ERjvF7s1AHevWnN3WRCIyaWxpt_hbM3fs8aQ3fmW-wCb81mk |access-date=May 5, 2023 |website=Official Sports International}}</ref>
A page on GoFundMe was founded to help Terry and his family pay medical bills by a fellow referee.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Keefer |first=Ryan |date=2016-09-13 |title=Former MLS referee diagnosed with Huntington's |url=https://www.blackandredunited.com/2016/9/13/12901276/terry-vaughn-us-soccer-mls-huntingtons-disease |access-date=2022-05-03 |website=Black And Red United |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Boehm" />
== Legacy == The Iowa Referee Academy has been renamed the Terry Vaughn Referee Academy in his honor.<ref name=":4" /><ref name="Boehm" />
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaughn, Terry}} Category:1973 births Category:2023 deaths Category:American soccer referees Category:People from Mount Vernon, Iowa Category:Deaths from Huntington's disease Category:People with Huntington's disease Category:Major League Soccer referees