Windsor Captain passes away

[Niagarafan12]

Mickey Renaud,19, captain of the Spitfires passes away around noon today at his home.Deepest thoughts and prayers go to his family

[Phil Margonis]

wtf?

r u serious? what happened?

[Niagarafan12]

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/story.html?id=c757b407-d731-4be3-ab3a-ff4813d5faf1&k=79758

[Phil Margonis]

wow very sad indeed

[Rolston87]

R.i.P Mickey Renaud.
God speed to ya.

[IceDogs5]

I really hate reading about stuff like this- what a shame. My thoughts and well wishes go out to his family and friends. RIP.

[WellandDogsFan]

SDF's and my thoughts and prayers are with the Renauld family and the Windsor Spitfire organization.

[Casey]

Wow, this is such a shock! I am speechless... We should definatly have a few moments of silence at the next game. My thoughts and prayers are also with his family and friends

[Quizzer83]

Canadian press article:

Windsor Spitfires captain Mickey Renaud dies suddenly after collapsing

15 minutes ago
WINDSOR, Ont. - Mickey Renaud was making all the improvements necessary to become an NHL player.
As captain of the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires, his leadership qualities were evident. He had the size, too, to make an impact at the highest level of the sport he loved to play.
On Monday, at age 19, Renaud collapsed at his home in nearby Tecumseh and was transported to Windsor Regional Hospital with no vital signs. Resuscitation attempts failed and he was pronounced dead around noon.
"This is the biggest tragedy in Spitfire history," said team vice-president and general manager Warren Rychel. "Words alone cannot describe our pain at this time."
Renaud was to have participated in the team's Family Day skate at Windsor Arena beginning at noon Monday. His teammates were called off the ice.
Tecumseh OPP are investigating the death. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday morning.
The six-foot-three, 220-pound centre was the fourth pick, 143rd overall, by the Calgary Flames in the 2007 NHL entry draft. He showed solid development last season, when he scored 22 goals and amassed 54 points in 68 OHL games.
Flames pro scout Tom Webster is based out of Windsor and says that Renaud played a similar style to Adam Graves. The NHL team believed Renaud had the skill to reach hockey's highest level.
"He was a guy that had a goal in mind and knew that a big part of it was his commitment to fitness," Webster told The Canadian Press. "(He had) the willingness to put the time in regardless of a lot of distractions that may have come his way. ...
"He was going to give himself every chance possible to play (in the NHL)."
Mark Renaud, his father, played 142 NHL games with the Hartford Whalers and Buffalo Sabres from 1979-1984. His uncle, Chris Renaud, spent time in the New York Rangers organization while Webster coached there.
"When I see the character of this young man, you know (the apple) doesn't fall too far from the tree," said Webster.
Renaud, who wore No. 18, was in his third season with the Spitfires and had 21 goals and 41 points in 56 games this year.
He was in the lineup when Windsor won 4-1 in Owen Sound on Sunday.
"The entire Ontario Hockey League family is mourning this tragic news," said OHL commissioner David Branch. "We extend our deepest condolences to Mickey's family, friends and teammates during this very difficult time."
Renaud excelled at penalty killing, finishing third in the league last season with six short-handed goals.
He attended camp with the Flames last year and was assigned back to the OHL club. He had progressed steadily after scoring only eight goals in his rookie season in the OHL. Renaud was Windsor's seventh pick, 127th overall, in the 2004 OHL draft.
Windsor's next scheduled game is at home Thursday against the Plymouth Whalers. There was no immediate word on whether it will be postponed.
Renaud is survived by parents Mark and Jane and siblings Remy and Penny. Funeral arrangements were pending.

[GoDogsGo]

wow crazy....prayers are with the family....

[AlphaDog]

HOly crap.

19, geez. Sure makes one realize that you don't have to be in your 70 and 80s to be mortal.

The bad news I'm getting today just keeps on adding up in the last 4 hours!

I wish his family and friends strength in this sad and surreal time.

[habsfan]

Deepest condolences go out to the Renaud family, as well as the Spitfire family in this tragic time.

[three dog night]

My deep sympathy for his family ,team mates and the fans of the Windsor Spitfires

[three dog night]

Always a shock when someone so young dies my prayers are with is family, team mates and the fans of the Windsor Spitfires

[Baller]

My deepest condolences and sympathy to both the Renaud family, and the entire Spitfire organization. Such a tragic, undescribable loss to someone soo young. Such a sad incident

[RioBravo]

Absolutely shocked...my thoughts are with the city of Windsor and all his friends, family and team mates.

[WellandDogsFan]

I took my avatar from a user on a different forum (with his permission of course). Please feel free to use it yourself if you are so inclined. Its not much, but it is a way to honor his memory.

[GoDogsGo]

nicely done wdf... class act man..... just watching the sports updates and everytime i see this story i get a lump in the stomach.... this is horrible....
Windsor is postponing the game on thursday and possibly the game on sat....
autopsy results are in but have not been released yet... so dont belive the rumors that will start out there... wait for the release in respect to Mickey....

[GoDogsGo]

a tribute...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSNRBhRK_ls

[fishfan51]

Every team in the league will be wearing a #18 decal for the remainder of the season.

I would encourge everyone to use #18 as their avatar as a tribute as well.

[GoDogsGo]

Every team in the league will be wearing a #18 decal for the remainder of the season.

I would encourge everyone to use #18 as their avatar as a tribute as well.
great idea....

[WellandDogsFan]

I like IGT's avatar as well. nicely done IGT

[ItsGameTime]

Thanks, just found a pic of him online.

This whole situation is just surreal

[habsfan]

I took my avatar from a user on a different forum (with his permission of course). Please feel free to use it yourself if you are so inclined. Its not much, but it is a way to honor his memory.

Good for you WDF for your new avatar. Small yet respectful way to honour Renaud's life.

[GoDogsGo]

just saw a clip on chch news... bill burke will be representing the icedogs at the funeral in windsor.... some guys were interviewed as well about their reactions....

[GoDogsGo]

the chch tv clip can be found here....
http://www.canada.com/ch/chchnews/video/index.html

[ItsGameTime]

the chch tv clip can be found here....
http://www.canada.com/ch/chchnews/video/index.html
thanks for the clip

[fishfan51]

Here is the link to the video that will be played throughout the OHL prior to this weekends games...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtLmHRPCXd8

[GoDogsGo]

very nice.. thanks for the post...

[ItsGameTime]

Here is the link to the video that will be played throughout the OHL prior to this weekends games...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtLmHRPCXd8

I personally never really heard about that guy and I got a weird feeling in my stomach. Can only imagine some of the reactions around the league for it. Especially in Windsor.

[WellandDogsFan]

Thanks for posting the video fishfan

[RTFAN]

It always makes me sick inside when I hear about a death, this makes me realize how much we should enjoy life because you never know when something will happen. R.I.P Mickey. Our thoughts and prayers are with all his family, friends and the Windsor Spitfires team, and coaches.

[RioBravo]

In the vids section of this fight there is a fight of him and Swift. Its going to be rough watching that video at the games.

[fishfan51]

Mourners pack church to say goodbye to Mickey Renaud


Craig Pearson, Windsor Star

Published: Friday, February 22, 2008

TECUMSEH More than 1,200 people - some wearing hockey jackets - filled St. Anne church to overflowing Friday to say goodbye to Spitfires hero Mickey Renaud.

Renaud, the Spitfires captain who collapsed and died Monday at age 19 at his family home, was remembered as a loveable and talented athlete, as someone who loved life, and as a good soul known for helping others.
"As an uncle of Mickey, I consider myself very fortunate to have been part of his life," said Chris Renaud during his eulogy. "They say you can't choose your relatives, but if you could, Mickey would be a very high draft choice."
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/718a79b0-7a41-49dd-9b4a-708e8b0a38a7/mickey2-22.jpg?size=lhttp://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/www.canada.com/images/widgets/bullet_story_headline_bigger.gif View Larger Image (http://javascript<b></b>:void window.open('storyimage.html?id=1eaa51d6-08fc-4072-80ca-f0ba08ed8f27&img=a0616a76-32ed-4bb0-ba25-c1879931ca29&path=%2fwindsorstar%2fnews%2f', 'storyimage', 'width=760,height=550,location=no,menubar=yes,scro llbars=yes,resizable=yes')) Players with the Windsor Spitfire hockey team and friends of Mickey Renaud were pall bearers at the funeral for 19-year-old captain, which was held at St. Anne Church in Tecumseh Friday.


Amid the tears of sorrow, Chris brought a smile to the faces of many when he recalled Mickey's voracious appetite, representative of much of his life.
"Someone once said that Mickey never read the book on etiquette for eating," Chris said, drawing chuckles. "But we all know how he was a riot to sit down and eat with. He taught us how important it is to have fun in your life."
Chris said Mickey often helped the less fortunate and was a natural leader, even as a young man, which rubbed off on others.
"He taught us about leadership," Chris said, "that leadership is practised not so much in words as in attitude and in actions."
Chris said his nephew's short life should continue to stand as inspiration for others, to be better people, to strive to excel, and to help the community.
He ended his memorial with a goodbye to his nephew: "O captain, my captain, until we meet again."
Renaud's parents Mark and Jane and his older brother Remy and younger sister Penny draped white fabric over the coffin and placed a crucifix upon it.
Spitfires assistant coach D.J. Smith later placed Renaud's No. 18 jersey atop the casket.
After the Liturgy of Farewell, officiated by St. Anne Roman Catholic pastor Father Robert Couture, Renaud's teammates pulled red-and-blue Spitfires jerseys over their suits outside the church to form an honour guard as the casket was let out to Tecumseh Road.
The Spitfires, including coach Bob Boughner and general manager Warren Rychel, then moved onto Lesperance to form another honour guard as family members followed the hearse to a private burial.
Other supporters went to the Caboto Club for a memorial pasta luncheon, where a tribute video of Renaud played on two large screens, which raised money for the Windsor Spitfires Foundation. The foundation donates 100 per cent of money collected to local charities.
After the two-hour mass in Tecumseh, the street was lined with mourners, many youngsters in all manner of hockey jerseys - from Timbits to Junior Spitfires - who cut the silence with a fitting tribute by tapping the street with their sticks.

[fishfan51]

Mourners gathered at the Barn


Sharon Hill, Windsor Star

Published: Friday, February 22, 2008
Sean Haskett walked into the Windsor arena Friday, stood where he could see Mickey Renaud on the screen in the rafters, bent his head and cried.
"Here it's home," the 50-year-old said explaining why he wanted to be at the arena while Renaud's funeral was in Tecumseh.
"It's his home away from home."
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/718a79b0-7a41-49dd-9b4a-708e8b0a38a7/barn22.jpg?size=lhttp://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/www.canada.com/images/widgets/bullet_story_headline_bigger.gif View Larger Image (http://javascript<b></b>:void window.open('storyimage.html?id=3876fcdd-bb6d-483d-ab7c-8a78333f05bb&img=29981b0e-8752-4a25-86fe-92fd032c0826&path=%2fwindsorstar%2fnews%2f', 'storyimage', 'width=760,height=550,location=no,menubar=yes,scro llbars=yes,resizable=yes')) Jordan McMullin, a 17-year-old Catholic Central high school student, came to the arena during his lunch to remember Mickey Renaud Friday. The arena showed shots of Renaud and allowed fans to sit in the arena to mourn the loss of the popular Spits captain.


Hundreds of people trickled into the barn Friday morning to sit quietly in the stands where they had watched the Windsor Spitfires captain play. They could look up and watch a memorial video of Renaud. They could sign a book of condolences. They could hug and talk to other fans who had come to remember the young hockey player who died suddenly Monday.
Lou-Ann Barnett, a freelance photographer who had taken many of the shots on display at the arena Friday, said thousands of fans have signed books of condolences at spots across the city. Children brought in drawings expressing their grief.
Although the community gathering at the arena wasn't supposed to start until 10 a.m. Friday, Barnett said people were already at the arena by 7 a.m.
"All week people have been coming in just to sit in the stands," she said.
Dan Levac and his three sons Adam, Matthew, and Ryan, were doing just that Friday morning. Dan said Renaud's unselfish attitude rubbed off on the kids he met.
"What he did for the community, for the kids, it's worth an hour or so to show respect."
The day Renaud died, Adam was wearing a T-shirt the popular Spits captain had signed.
Adam came home from school and said he wanted to retire the shirt.
"I only met him once but it was a great time I had with him," the eight-year-old said.
Adam also wears 18 for the Riverside 99 travel hockey team. Renaud had come to Concorde public school and Adam got to sit "right next to Mickey," eat lunch and talk about the things they had in common, like the number 18, a love for the Maple Leafs and their girlfriends.
"It's kind of sad for me," Adam said.
Twelve-year-old Seth Ferry of Cottam was in the arena wearing his Spitfires jersey the team had signed. He said it had been an emotional morning. "I'm just glad to be here. I get to see lots of pictures of him."
Jordan McMullin, 17, said he was a big fan and wanted to pay his respects Friday at the arena. He said the grieving Spitfires will have to "take it day by day" to get through the loss of their leader.

[Casey]

I just read the Toronto Sun yesterday, the pictures and videos are just too much for me. Rest In Peace Mickey

[skatee]

one of the most heartwarming images i saw was little kids lining the route, hitting their hockey sticks on the ground as the procession went by

[ItsGameTime]

They had a segment on Mickey during the first intermission of the WHL game on Sportsnet tonight. They showed the Windsor Spitfires press conference and one of the players can't remember his name looked like he was about to breakdown answering his questions, it was almost hard for me to watch, so sad.

[WellandDogsFan]

The Spits returned to the ice yesterday for the first time since Mickey's tragic death. Its been announced that they will return to game action this thrusday. I am sure it will continue to be a tough time for the family, the organization and the fans.