A community is mourning the death of a 14–year–old hockey player who collapsed during a tournament in Brainerd Friday.
The young man who collapsed during an afternoon game between Eastview's Double A bantam team out of Apple Valley and Wayzata was Patrick Schoonover, of Eagan.
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On Saturday afternoon at Eastview high school, in Apple Valley, counselors and professional support services were meeting with teammates of Schoonover and their families.
14–year–old Schoonover was not a student at the high school, but at Black Hawk Middle School. His father Mike is a member of the Eastview Hockey Association board.
School administrators and the family have asked for privacy during this time, but the family did release a statement today that reads:
"We lost our son Patrick last night. He passed away unexpectedly playing the game he loved so much. We appreciate the outpouring of support from the Eastview and MN hockey communities to our family."
The Eastview hockey association has been asked what people from the community can do to help. They said there will more detail on that in the coming days, but for now they are asking to spread the theme "play for Patrick."
There's also a hashtag on Twitter: playforpatrick96.
A family friend of Schoonover's said "he was a great kid who loved hockey".
The Brainerd Amateur Hockey Association Board decided to cancel the remainder of the tournament on Friday.