Had two emails in my inbox about Reid Vangelderen, an East Grand Rapids grad and former high school hockey player who passed away this week from cancer. Vangelderen won the MHSAA's 2004 Perseverance Award for his battle against the disease while he was in high school. The cancer had gone into remission but recently returned, and this was one battle he couldn't win. Reid was a member of the East Grand Rapids hockey and lacrosse teams, graduated in 2004, and was currently attending the University of Michigan. He was 22 years old.
I was forwarded an email from retired Kentwood Hockey Coach Ron Baum, who wrote: "Among other things, Reid will be remembered as a mild-manner Christian gentleman, outstanding student-athlete, strong leader, and a young man who never gave up. He epitomized every aspect of [the] Perseverance Award."
2 comments:
What a shame to hear the news about Reid's tragic death. My team played against him several times; he was an outstanding hockey player, and from everything I have always heard about him off the ice, a top notch young man. Condolences to his family.
-Brian Guiney (former Big Rapids coach)
Will say a prayer for his loved ones and friends. A tragic loss.
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