Former NHL player-turned-firefighter dead at 38 after suffering heart attack during rec hockey game

Raymond Sawada, a former second-round NHL draft pick, died Monday at the age of 38.

The former Dallas Star suffered a heart attack while playing in a recreational hockey league in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, just outside of Vancouver, resulting in the “devastating” and “sudden” passing.

Sawada had been a part of the Richmond Fire Department since 2017 “where he served with distinction and honor,” his family said in a GoFundMe.

“Ray was such a bright light in the lives he touched. He enjoyed traveling with Nicole, the girls, and family and friends. He was a talented hockey player and a dedicated coach for his girls. Ray was passionately driven and motivated in everything he did, and the surrounding community will be left with a void,” the page reads.

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“For the girls and Nicole, losing their dad and husband is going to leave a sad mark on their hearts and make for a long road ahead. From the family, we are truly grateful for the love and support that we have already received. We appreciate every single message and act of kindness. We feel the love. It gives us reassurance that throughout this sad and difficult time, there are so many who love and care for the family.”

Sawada attended Cornell University and was drafted by the Stars in 2004 with the 52nd pick that year – he appeared in 11 total games in the NHL and 287 in the American Hockey League.

The Global News said Sawada was celebrating his daughter’s birthday before the game.

The GoFundMe also notes that his widow, Nicole, will be taking unpaid time from work. The fundraiser has garnered more than $228,000 CAD after an original goal of $50,000.