ST. LOUIS – Tributes continue to pour in for Colin Brown, a 16-year-old hockey player who died this week following a shooting in South St Louis City last Saturday.
Brown, a former player with O’Fallon, then transferred to CBC High School, was hit by a stray bullet from a gun that was shot on I-55 North near Loughborough Avenue in the Carondelet neighborhood last Saturday as he and his father were returning home from a game against Rockwood Marquette when the bullet hit Brown. He died on Wednesday from the wound, but not before he donated his vital organs to help others.
On Wednesday night, new St. Louis Blues head coach Jim Montgomery, the bench staff, and broadcasters wore buttons honoring Brown with his number 72, the number he wore with the Affton Americans club, during the game at the New Jersey Devils. Over $50,000 has been raised for the family, and the Blues will hold a moment of silence in his honor before their home game Saturday night against the Philadelphia Flyers, and the nightly 50-50 drawing will benefit Brown’s family, with half the money raised being donated to the family.
A prayer vigil was held for Brown and his family at the McKendree Rec-Plex in O’Fallon, where the Panthers play their home games in the Mississippi Valley Club Hockey Association, and pre-game prayer circles were formed at games in both the MVCHA and the Mid-States Club Hockey Association, where the Cadets compete in.
The Bar Down Sports Bar, on 11133 Lindbergh Business Court in South St. Louis County will be holding an all-day fundraiser for Brown’s family, along with a watch party for the Blues-Flyers game, in which all money raised will be donated to the family. DAWG Nation, a group of adult players in the St. Louis area, is also actively raising money for the family.
The entire St. Louis hockey community has rallied together to honor Brown’s memory, and will continue to raise money for the family.
Links to various fundraisers for Brown’s family can be found on Facebook and various websites of St. Louis television stations.
