Sports

Brendan Burke, Son of Toronto Maple Leafs GM Killed in Auto Crash

by Mary Richard | February 6, 2010 at 02:19 am

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Brendan Burke, 21, the youngest son of Toronto Maple Leafs' president and general manager Brian Burke, has died following a car crash on treacherous roads in snowy Indiana.

Brendan grew up in Boston, playing hockey as a goalie. He was currently attending the University of Miami (Ohio), working with their men's hockey team.

Police said Mr. Burke was driving east on U.S. 35 around 2:50 p.m. when his 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee slid sideways into an oncoming truck driven by a 24-year-old man, according to a report from the Palladium-Item in Richmond, Ind.The other man in Mr. Burke’s vehicle, 18-year-old Mark Reedy of Michigan, also died.

It’s been mere months since Brendan Burke revealed he was gay to the hockey world last November, a brave moment he shared with his proud father, who will head the U.S. men’s hockey team in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games.

The team issued a statement shortly after their game against the New Jersey Devils last night.

We are saddened to report that Brendan Burke, the youngest son of Leafs President and General Manager Brian Burke, succumbed to injuries he suffered in an auto accident earlier today in Indiana," the Leafs said in a statement.

The family has requested privacy at this very difficult time.

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Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

flagged this story as Breaking

at 03:33 on February 6th, 2010

Blue Crush, thanks for getting this story out so quickly. It will now show up on the home page for four hours. If new developments justify it, I'll renew this flag for another cycle.