Chris Snow has died at the age of 42, the Associated Press reports.
Snow was the assistant general manager of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Calgary Flames. At the time of his death, he had been battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) since 2019.
Mayo Clinic explains that ALS, which is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, "is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord."
The site adds that "ALS causes loss of muscle control" and that "the disease gets worse over time."
The Flames confirmed Snow's passing on Saturday night.
"We, along with the entire hockey community, are mourning the passing of Chris Snow," the club wrote. "Even while battling ALS, Chris dedicated his life to helping others and he changed the lives of so many."
In recent days, Snow's wife, Kelsie Snow, revealed that her husband's health had taken a turn for the worse.
Kelsie Snow, on Sept. 27, wrote:
With a shattered heart, I've come to share that yesterday Chris became unresponsive and went into cardiac arrest. Paramedics and doctors were able to get his heart beating again, but, devastatingly, a scan showed Chris has suffered a catastrophic brain injury caused by lack of oxygen. His doctors do not expect him to wake up from this.
The following day, in another update, Kelsie Snow indicated that testing had confirmed that "Chris will not wake up."
She added that, to fulfill the wishes of her husband, his body was going to be kept on life support so that his organs could be donated.
Then, on Saturday evening, Kelsie Snow wrote:
Today, we hugged Chris for the last time and said goodbye as he went to give four people the gift of life by donating his kidneys, liver and lungs. We are deeply broken and deeply proud. In life and in death, Chris never stopped giving. We walk forward with his light guiding us.
ESPN sums up Snow's sports career, reporting:
Snow covered the Minnesota Wild for the Minneapolis Star Tribune out of college and then was on the beat for the Red Sox, his hometown team, for the Boston Globe from 2005-2006. He became interested in analytics and left what many would consider a dream job for a front-office position with the Wild. He was director of hockey operations for four years before moving on to the Calgary Flames. He was named assistant general manager in 2019. Snow helped build the team's hockey research and development department.
It is clear, however, by the tributes that have been posted following the news of Snow's passing, that his accomplishments in life go far beyond the sporting arena.
As Toronto GM Brad Treliving put it:
Snowy' was a true example of strength, courage, grit and compassion. He was a cherished friend who deeply impacted our lives . . . Chris inspired us all as he faced his relentless battle with ALS head on, refusing to let it define him or derail his spirit.
