Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Brittanie Cecil Dies as Result of Being Struck by Errant Hockey Puck

Aired March 20, 2002 - 07:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the tragic story of what is thought to be the first fan ever killed by a puck at a National Hockey League game, a bizarre and tragic story.

Brittanie Cecil was celebrating her 14th birthday this past weekend in Ohio. And as part of the birthday celebration, she was attending a Columbus Blue Jackets game, when suddenly she was struck in the head by an errant hockey puck that was knocked off the ice and over those Plexiglas partitions. She would have turned 14 today, but she died Monday as a result of being struck by the puck.

Mimi Young of CNN affiliate KING reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIMI YOUNG, CNN AFFILIATE KING REPORTER: It happened 15 rows above the ice about halfway through the second period of the Blue Jackets hockey game. As one of the players tries to make a goal, the puck flies over the high glass into the stands bouncing off a spectator before hitting 13-year-old Brittanie Cecil in the head. She was able to walk out of the arena, but two days later, she died.

At her middle school in West Alexandria, Ohio, Brittany's classmates are in shock.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just thought, you know, what am I going to do?

YOUNG: They describe the eighth grader as outgoing, friendly, a spirited teenager on the cheerleading squad. Her best friend was one of the last people who saw her alive.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She said that she loved me, and I told her I loved her too. And then, she said, bye, and then the next thing we knew, she was gone.

YOUNG: There are explicit warnings about the danger of being hit by hockey pucks. On the back of every ticket, it says, "Pucks flying into spectator area can cause serious injury."

But one of Brittanie's relatives (UNINTELLIGIBLE) who has cheated death in the past, feels it's not fair her life was cut short. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have had so many chances to live, the gunshot and the coma and all that other stuff, but she never -- not any chance at all. She just ended her 13th -- that's it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAFFERTY: The president of the Blue Jackets hockey team, Doug McLean, has family of his own, a 14-year-old son and 11-year old daughter. He spoke with Brittanie's family and then visibly shaken, he read a statement to the public.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOUG MACLEAN, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS PRESIDENT: The Columbus Blue Jackets and Nationwide Arena are deeply saddened by this tragic accident that occurred during Saturday's game. Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go to Brittanie's family and friends during this time of anguish, and our fans mean the world to us, and this loss has had a profound effect on the entire Blue Jackets family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAFFERTY: Brittanie's family is now asking for privacy as they prepare for a wake tomorrow and her funeral on Friday. And the horrific nature of the story speaks for itself, but I do understand, Fredricka, that if you go, for example, a golf tournament or a public swimming pool or any of those places where there is a certain amount of risk, I guess you assume a certain amount of risk by agreeing to show up and participate in the event, whether it's watching a PGA tour or swimming in a pool, you know. And sadly -- I mean, once in a while, the worst happens, I guess, as in this case.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, or even at a baseball game unfortunately.

CAFFERTY: Yes, same thing.

WHITFIELD: Yes, the team nor the facility can be held liable or is being held liable for a case like this. It's one of those risks apparently that all patrons take when they go to these public events.

CAFFERTY: And I think the warning about that is actually printed on the tickets of most of the -- and Major League Baseball certainly and things like that. So it's right on the ticket that in effect absolves the game and the venue of liability in the event something like this happens.

WHITFIELD: Yes, so incredibly sad. It certainly doesn't ease the pain in any way for the family. All right, thanks a lot, Jack.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.