Marblehead High School football captain Owen Coyne dies of sudden brain hemorrhage, family says
Marblehead High School students are mourning the sudden death of the football team's co-captain. The school district announced Friday that 17-year-old Owen Coyne, a senior at Marblehead High School, died.
"This is a sad day for our Marblehead community, and we ask that you send positive thoughts and prayers to the Coyne family and Owen's friends during this difficult time," Marblehead Public Schools Superintendent John J. Robidoux said in a statement.
Coyne's mother, Angela Paradise, confirmed to WBZ-TV on Saturday that the teenager died after suffering a sudden brain hemorrhage.
Paradise said Coyne started experiencing severe headaches a week after Marblehead's first game of the season against Lynn English on Sept. 10. Coyne spent two weeks in the hospital before he died on Thursday. Doctors told Paradise the hemorrhage was caused by a freak anomaly in Coyne's brain.
Paradise also told WBZ-TV that Coyne registered as an organ donor months before his death and now six of his organs are being used to save five lives.
"His life was not wasted, he was a gift to us and he was a gift to Marblehead, but now he's been able to take his life and gift it to others," she said.
The Marblehead football team's game against Danvers on Saturday was canceled following Coyne's death.
Paradise said she has been amazed by the support her family has received from people in Marblehead.
"It means the world because for the rest of our lives and for the rest of our kids' lives, we're going to need that support," Paradise said. "Owen loved it here and it's no surprise that Marblehead loves him right back during these nightmarish days for our family."
Coyne was a three-sport athlete at Marblehead, competing in baseball, football and track and field. He had recently committed to Williams College to continue his academic and football career next fall.
"As much limelight that he had bestowed upon him, he wanted to have others shine and he wanted others to be celebrated and I think that's one quality that just made him so likable and so admired and so well respected by everybody," his mother said.
Coyne was named co-captain of the football team along with teammates Pete Rhodes and Tim Wales.
The team is next scheduled to play against St. Mary's on Oct. 9.
Paradise had a message for members of the Marblehead community.
"Don't be afraid to come up to me and talk to me about Owen because I will value and appreciate that more than you will ever know," she said.
