A 17-year-old hockey player in New York died after a “sudden medical event” during a game on Saturday evening, leaving a community shocked by the tragic loss.
Connor Kasin was a 12th grade student at Massapequa High School, Fox News reported on Sunday. The outlet noted that first responders were called to the scene when the incident occurred.
When the young man collapsed, several people at the game performed CPR until first responders arrived to take over:
In a letter to faculty and students, the school said, “It is heartbreaking to report that Connor did not survive. His passing is devastating to the Massapequa community, and we offer our deepest condolences to Connor’s family and friends.”
Kasin apparently lost consciousness between periods of the game at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center in Bethpage, Long Island, per SILive.com:
Kasin was rushed to the hospital as well before it was announced he had passed away. His cause of death is unknown. Authorities said no criminality is suspected.
Ironically, Kasin, who competed for the Sharks Elite Youth Hockey team, was taking part in a charity game in memory of Sabrina Navaretta, who died in a car crash last year. Navaretta was a Syosset HS graduate. The charity contest was hosted by a foundation looking to raise funds to offer support to grieving parents who lost a child.
“I’m hurt. I’m honesty still stunned,” one young community member said of the news. “Just pray for him and pray for the people around him. It’s honestly, it’s very sad. Heartbreaking.”
One of his coaches, Jeff Tempone, said, “It was devastating. He’s a 17-year-old kid. He’s got his whole life ahead of him.”
In September, a Florida high school football player collapsed on the field during a game and died, Breitbart News reported, noting it was one of “a string of several teen athlete deaths across the nation.”