A horrible tragedy unfolded on the ice at a Connecticut high school hockey game in January of 2022. Two teenage hockey players collided after one player fell to the ground and the other couldn't slow down in time.
That collision resulted in a 10th grade boy, Teddy Balkind of St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, losing his life when the other player's ice skate slit Teddy's neck open.
Teddy's entire community was deeply impacted by his sudden death.
The game was immediately stopped when the injury had clearly occurred. But lifesaving efforts weren't enough. Teddy was rushed to Greenwich Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Teddy's father was present at the game and saw the collision. The following day, students and their families gathered outside of St. Luke's to mourn Teddy.
St. Luke's released a statement about the incident. “Yesterday, we lost a precious young man in a tragic accident," it read. "Both St. Luke’s School and Brunswick School are in shock as we work to support our students and families. St. Luke’s singular focus at this moment is to care for our devastated community.”
It's clear that Teddy's community was utterly devastated. But his death also touched the hockey community. The NHL released a statement on Twitter with the hashtag #StickOutForTeddy. The league wrote, "The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Teddy Balkind, a member of the hockey family lost too soon. Our prayers and most heartfelt condolences go out to his family, his St. Luke's teammates, and his many friends."
Camp Awosting, a camp Teddy had attended since 2014, sent out an email to families, describing his character. "Teddy Balkind was a fearless, beautiful soul, who was full of life and a friend to all," the emotional email read. "He had an infectious, positive personality which quickly spread to others in all aspects of Awosting life. A born leader, he was humbled by being named the 2021 Iroquois Tribal Captain."
