Owen Coyne, a three-sport athlete and cocaptain of the Marblehead High football team, has died, school superintendent John Robidoux announced Friday.
In a message to the Marblehead Current, Coyne’s mother, Angela Paradise, said that her son had died from a sudden brain hemorrhage that was not caused by an impact. He had played in Marblehead’s Week 3 contest at Scituate last Friday.
The high school is offering counseling from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and Marblehead’s Saturday morning football game at Danvers has been canceled. Marblehead has received an outpouring of support from other school districts in the region.
“The thoughts and prayers of the Mansfield High School community go out to the family of Owen Coyne,” wrote Mansfield football coach Mike Redding on X. “From all that knew him, he was a great athlete, captain, student and great friend to many. Hoping he is in a better place.”
“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,” Robidoux said in a statement.
“In the days and weeks to come,” added Robidoux, “we will be providing counseling support in an ongoing way during the school day for students and staff who want to avail themselves of the opportunity. We will share further information with the community as appropriate.”
Coyne played wide receiver and safety for the Magicians last season and committed in July to play football at Williams College. He also starred on the baseball diamond, where he was a Northeastern Conference All-Star, and ran indoor track. Coyne came close to a state championship in the high jump last winter, and finished as a Top 10 sprinter in Marblehead track history, per coach Nolan Raimo.
Paradise wrote that her son’s ”kindness, positivity, warmth, and humble nature left an indelible mark on everyone he met during his brief 17 years on earth.
“Owen loved Marblehead fiercely, and Marblehead loved him right back . . . His passing is a devastating loss for our family and we recognize that this is also a staggering loss for our Marblehead community.”
Nate Weitzer can be reached at nweitzer7@gmail.com. Follow him on X @nweitzer7.