What’s happening in Seattle today: Jimothy the raccoon with a rare spinal deformity has become a viral internet hero; the Sounders FC honored the memory of legendary tech figure and Soma co-owner S Soma Somasegar; and downtown set an attendance record over six matches of the 2026 World Cup—more than 3 million people.
Jimothy the raccoon: Seattle’s new internet hero with an unusual back
Seattle has gained a new celebrity— a raccoon named Jimothy—and his looks have had the whole internet talking. This week, in the Ballard area, eyewitnesses filmed the animal with a shortened spine and an oddly shaped body. The clips quickly spread across social media, racking up millions of views and making headlines not only in local outlets, but also in publications such as New York Post and the UK’s Daily Mail. In an article on Kitsap Sun, journalists take a closer look at who Jimothy is and why he became a viral sensation.
Jimothy is a young raccoon currently living in the streets of Seattle. His short neck and curved spine are most likely the result of a congenital deformity, as explained by Marcy Logsdon, an associate professor at the Washington State University veterinary hospital. She said such anomalies happen in animals before birth, and it appears Jimothy was born this year. Despite his unusual appearance, experts say he looks healthy and well adapted to life in the wild—something that gives hope for his survival. Internet users, after seeing the videos, quickly started calling him “Jimothy.” As Kiana Hall, the author of an Instagram post that has racked up more than six million views, put it: “It just fit, because he looked like Jimothy.”
Online, a full community has already formed around the raccoon. On Reddit, a dedicated subreddit for Jimothy has appeared, and in the comments people are both joking and worrying about the animal. One user recently asked how “Jimothy made it through today’s storms.” This isn’t the first time raccoons have become internet stars in the region—in 2024, a Kitsap County resident called the police after around a hundred raccoons surrounded her home. Still, Jimothy stands out for his unique story. Specialists remind residents that raccoons are common urban inhabitants of Seattle: adult animals can reach about three feet in length and weigh between 15 and 40 pounds. There’s no exact population data, but authorities advise not to feed wild animals, not to leave trash open, and to feed household pets indoors. If someone spots Jimothy and wants to report his condition, they can contact the PAWS Wildlife Center. For now, the young raccoon continues to win hearts online—reminding everyone that even imperfection can be a reason for widespread affection.
In memory of Soma Somasegar: the Sounders pay tribute to the legendary tech leader and co-owner
On Thursday evening, ahead of a key MLS match against the Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders FC held a heartfelt ceremony to honor the memory of one of its co-owners—S. “Soma” Somasegar. He was more than just an investor; he was a legend of Seattle’s tech ecosystem. For many years, he led the development of tools for programmers at Microsoft, and later became one of the most respected venture capitalists at Madrona Venture Group. His death in May 2026 at age 59 was a profound loss for the entire community. That night at Lumen Field, fans stood for a moment of silence, and his image appeared on the stadium’s huge video screens.
Somasegar joined the group of Sounders owners in 2019, when a wave of Seattle tech leaders—including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadela—acquired stakes in the club. For Soma, soccer was more than a business. As the club noted after his passing, he viewed sports as a force that could bring people together. Together with his wife Akila, he helped strengthen communities through both the Sounders and the Seattle Reign women’s team. In his farewell piece on GeekWire, journalists collected many responses from colleagues, startup founders, and friends who recalled his remarkable humility, generosity, and willingness to help others achieve success.
Over 27 years at Microsoft, Somasegar led the developer tools division—the team that created Visual Studio and the .NET platform, without which modern software development is hard to imagine. Later at Madrona, he invested for more than a decade in cloud technologies and artificial intelligence, serving as a mentor to the next generation of startups. His influence extended far beyond the tech sector: the combination of technical depth, human warmth, and a love of sports made him a truly unique figure. The moment of silence on the stadium floor once again underlined that even in high-tech, what matters most are the people who know how to inspire and unite.
More than 3 million people visited downtown Seattle over six World Cup match days in 2026
During the six matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, more than three million people visited downtown Seattle. This is evidenced by June data published by the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA). As noted in a KOMO News article, the figure is 17% higher than the pedestrian traffic for the comparable six days in 2025. At the same time, it’s important to understand that the data is preliminary and reflects only domestic visitors—international tourists are not included yet—so the final number is likely to be higher.
“People want to be together, they want to be in the heart of their city,” said John Shoules, president and CEO of the DSA. “Whether they have a ticket to a stadium or not isn’t the point.” The highest daily numbers were recorded on the days when the United States team took the field: the match against Australia drew more than 580,000 people downtown, and the loss to Belgium brought in more than 543,000.
To keep the wave of excitement sparked by the World Cup, Shoules suggests leaning into free or low-cost events—such as fan zones and public screenings—which have already attracted tens of thousands of viewers in different parts of Seattle.
The head of the DSA believes the city should close streets more proactively to create “walkable fan zones” around Lumen Field, T-Mobile Park, and Climate Pledge Arena—for games, concerts, and other events. He also hopes the buzz and energy of match days will spill over into the free concert series “Downtown Summer Sounds” in Westlake Park and Occidental Square. According to Shoules, much of the success comes from ensuring fans had a safe and clean environment. Before the tournament, city officials, nonprofit organizations, and activists stepped up street cleanup and moved people out of the tent encampments and off sidewalks in the Pioneer Square area into shelters. Shoules insists that the conditions created for the World Cup should remain the norm after it ends: “This shouldn’t be an exception. This should be the rule.”
Interestingly, despite record pedestrian traffic, demand for hotel rooms in Seattle declined by 7% in June 2026 compared with June 2025. Around 368,000 rooms were sold, versus 383,000 the year before. However, John Shoules says this isn’t due to a drop in interest, but to deliberate planning: many business conferences and events were intentionally moved out of Seattle during the match period to avoid scheduling conflicts. “Right now, most of that business activity is back, and we expect the rest of the summer downtown to be very strong in terms of hotel occupancy and room rates,” he added.
