On Saturday morning, the heartbreaking news came down that Colby Cave passed away shortly after he underwent emergency surgery for a brain bleed.
The Edmonton Oilers forward needed surgery to remove a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain, so medical personnel in Toronto placed him in a medically induced coma to perform the operation. It was just earlier this week when Colby’s wife Emily said the family needed a miracle regarding his status.
“We need a miracle,” she wrote on Thursday. “Colby’s parents and myself, got to see him through a window and talk to him with a walkie talkie last night. We are no longer allowed to be in the hospital because Covid-19 rules. We have no idea when we will be allowed to see him again.
“The nurse has tied his wedding band to his ankle. I am dreaming of being able to touch you, hear your voice, squeeze your hand (3 times), and kiss you again. I love you so much, and my heart is shattered into a million pieces without my best friend.”
“Undrafted but undaunted, Colby was relentless in the pursuit of his hockey dream with both the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins organizations. An earnest and hardworking player, he was admired by his teammates and coaches,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “More important, he was a warm and generous person who was well-liked by all those fortunate enough to know him. We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife Emily, their families and Colby’s countless friends throughout the hockey world.”
Cave was only 25-years-old.
