DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) – It’s been two years since the passing of Hibbing Native and Northland Hockey star Adam Johnson.
Johnson died doing what he loved, playing hockey.
FILE – Pittsburgh Penguins forward Adam Johnson in action during an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, Friday, Sept. 22, 2017. American hockey player Adam Johnson has died after a “freak accident” during a game in England on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023 his club said. The 29-year-old Minnesota native was playing for the Nottingham Panthers in a Challenge Cup game against the Sheffield Steelers when he suffered a slashed neck during the second period of the game at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena.(AP Photo/Paul Vernon, file)
He was overseas, playing for the Nottingham Panthers, when he took a skate blade to the neck.
Johnson collided with a player from the opposing team and later died from his injuries.
His death sparked international calls for change, with hockey leagues of all levels creating new mandates for neck guards, including the American Hockey League and the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Adam Johnson’s ties to the Northland are strong. After playing for his home team in Hibbing, he played for the UMD Men’s Hockey team.
Following his passing, Adam’s loved ones created the “Adam Johnson Memorial Fund.”
The $1,000 scholarship is given to a Hibbing high school senior who will be attending UMD and has a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
His family and the foundation say the funds aim to support the values that mattered most to Adam, including education and hockey.
If you’d like to donate to the fund, through the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation’s website, click here.
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