The girlfriend of the late ice hockey star Adam Johnson ran onto the ice rink after his throat was fatally slashed by a skate blade.
The world of sports has been left in utter shock after a professional ice hockey player tragically lost his life following a "freak accident" during a high-tension derby game between the Nottingham Panthers and the Sheffield Steelers.
The 29-year-old Nottingham Panthers star sustained a fatal injury during the Challenge Cup face-off against the opponents at the Utilita Arena on Saturday (October 28).
The match was promptly paused in the 35th minute as medics rushed in to tend to Johnson behind the privacy of screens on the ice. Spectators and the 8,000-strong crowd who witnessed the horrific incident were asked to vacate the premises.
South Yorkshire Police promptly responded to the incident, arriving at the Sheffield Arena around 8:25PM. They continued their investigations into Sunday, ensuring all necessary protocols were observed.
Johnson was rushed to Sheffield's Northern General Hospital where he sadly succumbed to his injuries. His death was confirmed by The Panthers in a heartfelt statement cited by ESPN.
The team spoke about the man behind the 47 jersey, sharing: "Adam, our number 47, was not only an outstanding ice hockey player but also a great teammate and an incredible person with his whole life ahead of him."
"The club will dearly miss him and will never ever forget him," they continued, adding further condolences, emphasizing the shared grief of everyone associated with the club.
Sporting fans all over and those close to the young star are grieving the untimely loss - one of which is his girlfriend, Ryan Wolfe, who ran onto the ice after the awful injury to pray for him, according to The Sun.
Reeling from the shock, Johnson's fiancée - who hails from Minnesota just like the athlete - shared a devastating post on Instagram in memory of the late ice hockey star.
Wolfe reposted a photo of Johnson uploaded by the Augsburger Panther page with an overlay text that read: "My sweet, sweet angel. I'll miss you forever and love you always."
Furthermore, his mother, Kari, echoed the sentiment, sharing special memories of her son with the words: "I lost half of my heart today. Love you always, Munch," per Metro.
In the wake of this tragic incident, Ontario Reign - the hockey team based in California - made an emotional tribute before the club's American Hockey League game against the Abbotsford Canucks on Sunday.
Johnson's name was announced to the crowd as his number 49 jersey was placed on a chair in the middle of the ice by former Nottingham player Jacob Doty.
Every Ontario player touched the jersey in a moving gesture, with a video posted on their social media accounts with the caption: "Forever in our hearts."
Our thoughts continue to be with Johnson's family, friends, and fans at this time.
