Mandi Schwartz Loses Battle With Cancer

Heaven's hockey all-star team has now just become co-ed. A story that I have been following for a while has met it's sad end as Mandi Schwartz succumbed to cancer on Sunday April 3rd. She was 23 years old.

She is talked about fondly by everyone who knew her as I made the trek through the Internet websites and blogs.

"She's such an inspiration," Hughes admitted. "It's weird because people who read her story or heard her story are moved by it and those of us who were here with her and have watched over the years … it's been a journey and she's been the rock through it all. She's been the steady one, the optimistic one and because of that, she's taught us so much."

Her friend and former Yale teammate, Aleca Hughes said:

"I think Mandi should be remembered as an incredibly kind and selfless person; an extraordinary hockey player and athlete who always put others before herself. I think that was a huge part of her game while she was playing, and clearly it's going to be a huge part of her legacy long after this."

I suppose this is now the hat trick of tragedy during this current season as now this makes the 3rd hockey personality to lose their life to cancer. Coach Burns, Mr. Kelley, and now Miss Schwartz.

Mandi is survived by her loving parents and her brothers most notably, Jaden, who was just selected in the first round (#14 overall) by the St. Louis Blues in last year's 2010 entry draft.

I am certain to continue to follow this story as sources that has already mentioned a Foundation in her honor. Check back to when that gets announced.

[Via: Yale Daily News and NHL.com]

[Cross posted on Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic: Blogathon Edition]