OT: Blue Jackets Goalie Dies after fireworks accident
Man, how sad is this? 24 years young
Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died of chest trauma from an errant fireworks mortar blast in what authorities described Monday as a tragic accident on the Fourth of July.Police in Novi, Michigan, said the firework tilted slightly and started to fire toward people nearby Sunday night. The 24-year-old Kivlenieks was in a hot tub and tried to get clear with several other people, police Lt. Jason Meier said. Authorities earlier said the Lativan had died of an apparent head injury during a fall, but an autopsy clarified the cause of death.
The fire department and EMTs got to the private home shortly after 10 p.m. and took Kivlenieks to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Meier said. The Oakland County Medical Examiner's office reported preliminary autopsy results Monday afternoon.
Prior to the autopsy, police said Kivlenieks was believed to have slipped and hit his head on concrete while running from a malfunctioning firework.
"At the moment, we're pretty certain this was a tragic accident," Meier said.
The Blue Jackets and Latvian Hockey Federation announced Kivlenieks' death, with the NHL club initially saying it resulted from an apparent head injury in a fall. The team's statement made no mention of fireworks.
Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen tweeted: "Life is so precious and can be so fragile. Hug your loved ones today. RIP Matiss, you will be dearly missed." Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson called it a "devastating time" for the team.
https://www.startribune.com/blue-jackets-goalie-dies-after-fireworks-accident/600075120/
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
How tragic. I'd read the first reports that mentioned a head injury.
There are something like over 15,000 injuries in the U.S. every 4th of July weekend annually. Not sure why its escalated to these borderline mortar rounds for fireworks, but some people like their loud bangs.
@"BarrNone55" said: Tragic and totally preventable.most accidental deaths are.
Sounds like someone wanted a better headline that "sports figure dies from slip and fall head injury". Adding the fireworks angle gives the preachers something to latch onto.
@"greediron" said: Sounds like someone wanted a better headline that "sports figure dies from slip and fall head injury". Adding the fireworks angle gives the preachers something to latch onto.
Well, my interpretation is that they were probably sitting in a hot tub shooting off fireworks and then one started firing off towards them causing them to try and jump out of the hot tub rather abruptly. This is very sad, fireworks are nothing to be nonchalant about...you have to be in full control when lighting them off
@"Hawkvike25" said:@"greediron" said: Sounds like someone wanted a better headline that "sports figure dies from slip and fall head injury". Adding the fireworks angle gives the preachers something to latch onto.
Well, my interpretation is that they were probably sitting in a hot tub shooting off fireworks and then one started firing off towards them causing them to try and jump out of the hot tub rather abruptly. This is very sad, fireworks are nothing to be nonchalant about...you have to be in full control when lighting them off
and I am sure alcohol was not a contributing factor at all. I am as guilty as anybody over the years, but really shooting off aerial fireworks should carry the same restrictions as a firearm.
@"JimmyinSD" said:@"Hawkvike25" said:@"greediron" said: Sounds like someone wanted a better headline that "sports figure dies from slip and fall head injury". Adding the fireworks angle gives the preachers something to latch onto.
Well, my interpretation is that they were probably sitting in a hot tub shooting off fireworks and then one started firing off towards them causing them to try and jump out of the hot tub rather abruptly. This is very sad, fireworks are nothing to be nonchalant about...you have to be in full control when lighting them off
and I am sure alcohol was not a contributing factor at all. I am as guilty as anybody over the years, but really shooting off aerial fireworks should carry the same restrictions as a firearm.
So really not much at all? :p
@"greediron" said: Sounds like someone wanted a better headline that "sports figure dies from slip and fall head injury". Adding the fireworks angle gives the preachers something to latch onto.
I think what we witnessed was more information came out over time and so the story evolved to be more accurate.
@"Hawkvike25" said:@"greediron" said: Sounds like someone wanted a better headline that "sports figure dies from slip and fall head injury". Adding the fireworks angle gives the preachers something to latch onto.
Well, my interpretation is that they were probably sitting in a hot tub shooting off fireworks and then one started firing off towards them causing them to try and jump out of the hot tub rather abruptly. This is very sad, fireworks are nothing to be nonchalant about...you have to be in full control when lighting them off
Agreed. Alcohol and explosions don't mix well. I was simply commenting on the click baity headline.
Fireworks are stupid:
Made in China (nothing more American than that)
Cheap materials that horrible for the environment
They fuck up bees and birds (vital pollinators)
Frighten wild and domesticated animals
Can be traumatic for vets with PTSD
We can celebrate the birth of this great country without being assholes to it
Blue Jackets' Matiss Kivlenieks Dies In July Fourth Fire Works-Related Accident (Image: Blue Jackets)
© Provided by uPolitics.com Blue Jackets' Matiss Kivlenieks Dies In July Fourth Fire Works-Related Accident (Image: Blue Jackets)Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Matiss Kivlenieks died in a fatal fireworks accident on July 4.Kivlenieks was at the team’s goaltending coach Manny Legace‘s Michigan home. He and teammate Elvis Merzlikins traveled to Legace’s home to celebrate the holiday and Legace’s daughter’s wedding ceremony over the weekend.
It was initially reported Kivlenieks suffered a fatal head injury when he fell out of a hot tub during the incident. An autopsy later revealed that wasn’t the case, and instead, his cause of death was chest trauma.
Michigan police stated that a fireworks mortar was properly lit and began firing at people, including Kivlenieks, who was in the hot tub. The goalkeeper was attempting to shield himself from the mortar when he was struck in the chest. Police said that the goalkeeper was 10 feet away from the mortar when he was struck. He died from a percussive injury caused by the blast, causing major damage to his heart and lungs.
"He saved my son, he saved my wife and he saved me. ... He died as hero."
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) July 15, 2021
Elvis Merzlikins at the memorial service for Matiss Kivlenieks. Kivlenieks died after he was struck in the chest by a fireworks mortar shell on July 4. pic.twitter.com/69C09ggG67
@"Vikergirl" said: https://twitter.com/sportingnews/status/1415699309669015556?s=19As I read elsewhere, he saved his best save for his last.
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