Hockey community mourns the tragic death of beloved 16 year-old player
These are the kinds of stories that just make your heart sink, as the hockey community is once again in mourning following a tragic and untimely death.
The hockey community has come together once again to mourn the untimely loss of Max Akerson, a 16 year old goaltender from Champlin Park High School in Minnesota who passed away from liver cancer.
He had been battling the disease since it was discovered following a trip to the hospital in January of 2022 for abdominal pain and a fever, and the grim diagnosis was given.
His passing also came just eight days before the rest of his teammates on the Champlin Park Rebels were scheduled to begin the new hockey year.
Following the dedication of a makeshift memorial outside of Champlin Ice Forum, Akerson's teammate Payton Johnson expressed gratitude at having been able to know him during his life.
Sadness but also just thankfulness for dedicating this site to Max.
He was an amazing person, great friend. And he was always just bright. And you could kind of see God's light in him the whole time.
The team's mantra for this year is going to be 'Play for Max', according to head coach Tom Potter.
The day that he passed, we had a closed-door meeting, kind of let everybody get their emotions out and talk about it.
They know that if max was still with us, he would have worked his butt off day in and day out and continue to give everything he had and had fun doing it.
Talking with some of the players on the team, this year we have no reason not to give it everything we got.
POLL |
NOVEMBRE 30 | 24 ANSWERS Hockey community mourns the tragic death of beloved 16 year-old player How many high school hockey games do you attend per year? |
1-4 | 20 | 83.3 % |
5-9 | 3 | 12.5 % |
10-14 | 1 | 4.2 % |
15-20 | 0 | 0 % |
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