Confirming reports out of Greenwich, New Canaan Police and district officials on Friday mourned the loss of a New Canaan boy who died after suffering an injury in a hockey game.
Teddy Balkind, who had attended New Canaan Public Schools prior to enrolling at St. Luke’s School, where he was a sophomore, had been injured during an away hockey game at Brunswick School in Greenwich, officials said.
“Teddy skated for the New Canaan Winter Club throughout his youth hockey career and was known to all as an all around incredible young man, son and brother,” New Canaan Police said in a Facebook post. “The men and women of the New Canaan Police Department offer our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers to the Balkind family and all of those impacted by this tragic incident.”
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi said in an email to the school community that many New Canaan students had been friends with the deceased and his family.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and with the entire St. Luke’s community,” Luizzi said in the email. “May you find strength and peace during this challenging time.”
According to a report on the Greenwich Free Press, around 5 p.m. Thursday, a player from St. Luke’s fell on the ice and another player collided with him, resulting in the injury. Game play was stopped and 911 was called, and the injured player was transported to Greenwich Hospital, the Greenwich Free Press said. There, he succumbed to his injuries, according to the Greenwich Free Press report.
According to an email that Brunswick Head of School Tom Philip sent Thursday to faculty and staff, those who witnessed the play described it as “entirely normal and unremarkable on its face.”
The injured boy was immediately treated by Brunswick medical staff and then transported to Greenwich Hospital where he was treated in the ER and then operated on, Philip said in his email, obtained by NewCanaanite.com.
“Tragically, he did not survive the operation,” the email said.
[NewCanaanite.com will have more information as it becomes available.]
Terribly sad. God be with his family all through this. And with the boy who collided with Teddy.