A high school hockey player died suddenly on Saturday after collapsing during intermission at a charity game in honor of a high school graduate killed in a car crash last year.
According to The Daily Mail, 17-year-old Connor Kasin, a senior at Massapequa High School in Long Island, New York, collapsed at roughly 9 p.m. on Saturday during the intermission of a high school charity game at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center in Bethpage. The outlet reported that people in attendance at the charity game performed CPR on Kasin until paramedics arrived. However, while the teenager was rushed to the hospital, he was later pronounced dead.
The Daily Mail reported that while the cause of Kasin’s sudden death has not yet been disclosed, the Nassau County Police Department indicated that there was “no criminality suspected” in the incident.
In a letter obtained by The Daily Mail, Massapequa High School officials told parents and students, “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.”
According to CBS News, Saturday’s charity game was in honor of Sabrina Navaretta, a Syosset High School graduate, who was killed in a car accident last year.
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Addressing Kasin’s sudden death on Saturday, Sabrina Navaretta’s parents, John and Mara Navaretta, said, “There are no words to convey our heartbreak that we feel as last night was supposed to be a fun night. The community came together to celebrate Sabrina’s life and our family’s commitment to help with scholarship, dog rescue and assisting grieving parents.”
“We would like the Kasin family to know our commitment to you,” the Navaretta family said. “Connor was there to play for Sabrina and our family is here for you. Please take the time to grieve and be kind to yourself as the waves of grief can knock you over. John and I are here for you when you are ready.”
Kasin’s travel hockey team, Sharks Elite Youth Hockey, released a statement on Sunday asking people to pray for the Kasin family after the “sudden passing” of the 17-year-old hockey player.
Jeff Tempone, Kasin’s hockey coach, told CBS News that the 17-year-old was a “coach’s dream.”
“You coach him and he loved the game. It’s missing someone. It’s missing someone very special,” Tempone said. “Probably in the best shape on the team, as far as being physical, and was just a great kid, highly coachable kid, always encouraging his teammates on the bench. It was devastating. It’s a 17-year-old kid — has his whole life ahead of him.”
