Sad News for Jeff O

[puckin_A]

I heard from a couple of people out of Toronto that Jeff's brother died in a major car accident. They heard it on the radio. :(

(his brother Donny)......

[puckin_A]

O'Neill's brother dies in car accident


Canadian Press



7/21/2005 9:26:05 AM

VAUGHAN, Ont. (CP) - The brother of Carolina Hurricanes forward Jeff O'Neill was killed Thursday morning in a car crash north of Toronto, according to 680 News.

Citing police, the Toronto radio station said 33-year-old Donny O'Neill of King City died when his pickup truck rolled several times on a highway.

Jeff O'Neill, a 29-year-old native of Richmond Hill, Ont., is in Toronto to attend NHL Players' Association meetings.

[Turbulence]

That's horrible.

[Staal-aholic]

my heart goes out to Jeff

[SoCalcaniac]

How awful for Jeff and his family. I just heard it on Fan590.... unreal.

[EpiK-KA14]

Wow. So sad.

Thoughts and prayers to the entire O'Neill family...

[aLADDin]

Terribly tragic. Something like this should make all of us think just how fragile (and short) life can be. My heart goes out to O and his family.


Warren

[Canesluver]

That's just shocking. How incredibly sad. At least Jeff is already close by, which is a blessing to his family.

[Mona]

:sad: :cry: :cry:

[puck_it]

wow thats horrible :sad:

i feel bad for him

[SouthernHockeyChick]

:sad:

I wonder if he was married or had any kids? I wonder what the cause of the accident was.....

I'm glad O'Neill can be there with his family.

I bet he'll really want to stay in Toronto now.

[corylav]

:sad:

[Gipper]

:cry: :sad: :cry: :sad: :cry: :sad: :cry:

[Alicia]

Sometimes when it rains, it pours... :sad: :cry:

[corylav]

more info ...

"The fellow who was killed is Donny O'Neill - and his brother is Jeff O'Neill of the Carolina Hurricanes," said Sgt. Cam Wooley.

"Unfortunately, the driver was not wearing a seat belt and the vehicle rolled on to him (and) crushed him," said Wooley.

O'Neill was pronounced dead on the scene by the coroner.

[apolinar]

Crap. That really puts a damper on a lot of things this week. Heartfelt Condolences to the O'Neill family. :sad:

[ZJCanesFan]

For those of you who are interested, you can send an email to Jeff via the 'Fan Mail' link at the bottom of the Canes home web page. Although it initially goes to their Community Relations dept, I was told that if you indicate in the email who it is for, they will forward it to your intended recipient.

-- zj

[Mona]

This is on the Canes homepage.

HURRICANES MOURN LOSS OF DONNY O’NEILL

The Carolina Hurricanes family extends its deepest condolences to the family of Jeff O’Neill on the loss of Jeff’s brother, Donny, on Thursday morning. The Hurricanes and the O’Neill family have been linked closely for more than a decade, and through the years many of us had gotten to know Donny. We are well aware of what type of person he was and how much he meant to Jeff and his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with the O’Neill’s as we all mourn this tragedy.

:cry:

[Mona]

Update from WRAL..

Brother Of Carolina Hurricanes Forward Killed In Accident

POSTED: 12:32 pm EDT July 21, 2005

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The brother of one of the Carolina Hurricanes' top players was killed Thursday morning in a single-vehicle accident.

Donnie O'Neill, 33, the brother of Hurricanes forward Jeff O'Neill, was on his way to work near Toronto when he lost control of his pickup truck.

Authorities have not said what caused the accident.

Jeff O'Neill was in Toronto Thursday attending NHL player's association meetings.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Wasn't his occupation something to do with youth or junior hockey? Or maybe he just coached a local youth team or something. I'm sure it's been mentioned somewhere along the way but I don't remember.

[Mona]

I'm not sure SHC... I have seen them at games and in the cookbook.. does anyone know if Donny was the dark-haired one or the one that looks like Jeff? :sad:

[puck_it]

I really hope Jeff takes this maturely. i dont mean to sound insensitive, because its not an easy thing. we all know he likes to hit the bottle, i just hope he keeps his head on straight and stays safe :sad:

[corylav]

purely speculation, but you have to wonder if alcohol was involved with this ... it was 4:30 a.m.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

purely speculation, but you have to wonder if alcohol was involved with this ... it was 4:30 a.m.

I wondered that too at first but they've now said he was on his way to work so I'd doubt it.

EDIT: Just found this....he worked at a paving company.

NHLer's brother dies in Hwy. 400 crash
Victim's brother in town today discussing hockey deal

CURTIS RUSH
STAFF REPORTER THESTAR.COM

The brother of an NHL player has died in a car accident in the city's north end.

Donny O'Neill, the 33-year-old brother of Carolina Hurricanes' forward Jeff O'Neill, died instantly early this morning when he was thrown from his pick-up in a single-car accident.

O'Neill wasn't wearing a seat belt, the OPP say.

"This was a completely survivable accident had he been wearing his belt," Woolley said. "Speed was not a factor. When the truck rolled, he was ejected and it crushed him."

The OPP say that the accident occurred on the westbound ramp to Highway 407 from southbound Highway 400.

The King City resident was on his way to work at a paving company at about 4:30 a.m. when the crash occurred, OPP Const. Cam Woolley said this morning.

O'Neill lost control rounding the curve and his truck rolled several times before tumbling down an embankment.

He and his dog were thrown from the truck. The dog survived.

Police closed access to the ramp. It was expected to reopen at 10 a.m.

O'Neill's brother Jeff, a 29-year-old native of Richmond Hill, is in Toronto today with about 200 other NHL players to vote on the tentative agreement reached with NHL owners last week.

[Mona]

"This was a completely survivable accident had he been wearing his belt," Woolley said.

Daggers into his loved ones' hearts. :cry: At least his dog survived.

[puckin_A]

no alcohol involved....he was on his way to work......

[corylav]

If there's anything to pull out of this, at least it was truly an accident then. I still don't get people who don't wear a seatbelt though.

[talkingcanes]

Jeff and his family are in my thoughts and prayers. What an incredibly horrible thing, especially for his parents. Really gives perspective to the whole will he or won't he be back discussion. In the long run, where he plays hockey is a distant 2nd to what he is facing now.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

O'Neill loses brother in crash
Don O'Neill, 33, was mentor to NHL's Jeff
Wasn't wearing seatbelt when his truck rolled

LOIS KALCHMAN
SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Jeff O'Neill became a star in the NHL in part by following the example set by his oldest brother Don, a combative right winger and junior star with the Peterborough Petes.

Yesterday morning, as Jeff prepared to vote on resuming his lockout-interrupted hockey career, he got a devastating phone call.

Don, 33, had been killed in an early morning car accident.

"Don was the captain of the Peterborough Petes and if you look in the NHL, all of the Petes are always the hard-working group. That's how you would sum him up, too," said middle brother Ryan O'Neill, 30.

It was Ryan, a police officer and Ontario Hockey League referee, who called Jeff at the downtown Westin Harbour Castle hotel. The 29-year-old immediately left the player-ratification meeting with Maple Leafs winger Gary Roberts, who drove Jeff to his parents' home in Whitchurch-Stouffville.

"I just can't believe it has happened," father Paul O'Neill said yesterday afternoon. "No one should have to bury their kids."

Don O'Neill was heading to work at Gazzola Paving, where he managed the asphalt plant, in a company-owned Ford F-150 at about 4:30 a.m. As he turned on to the ramp to the westbound Hwy.407 from Hwy.400, the truck went onto the shoulder and skidded before rolling several times. Don was thrown out a side window and was crushed when the truck landed on him.

"This was the type of crash we expect people to walk away from," said OPP Const. Cam Woolley, who added there was no indication that Don had been speeding or drinking.

"It seems the driver made one fatal error — not wearing a seatbelt."

Don's English bulldog Bugsy was also thrown out of the truck, but survived with leg injuries.

Jeff was the only NHL player in his family, but the O'Neills lived and breathed hockey and it was Don who led the way.

Parents in King City became accustomed to the O'Neill brothers' scoring feats and weren't surprised when Don was drafted by the Petes in 1989. He became captain in his third and final year even as Ryan and Jeff were getting ready to join the OHL.

"Both boys looked up to Donny," said their father. "Donny always said that he was the guinea pig and if it didn't work for him, the old man wouldn't let (Jeff and Ryan) do it."

Petes general manager Jeff Twohey remembers Don as "a positive, upbeat person" who loved music and was among the first on the team to have a portable CD player.

"You couldn't help but like him," said Twohey. "He was a real competitive, tough kid ... but well liked and a take-charge kind of guy and that was why he was our captain in his last year."

"He was one of the most popular Petes," agreed former teammate Jim Parcels. "He was always the life in our dressing room. The town will be stunned."

Don, who coached the Noble King minor bantams last year, quit playing hockey after his last season with the Petes and turned his summer job with Gazzola Paving into a career.

He is survived by his two brothers, his father and mother Laverne.

A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Mary Lake Shrine at Keele St. and 15th Side Rd. in King City. There will be a viewing today at the Marshall Funeral Home in Richmond Hill.

[Mona]

Thanks A. :cry: :cry:

[puck_it]

:cry:

that was nice of gary to drive jeff. he was probably a mess.

[oneillfan92]

I feel so bad for the O'Neill family. My prayers are with them.

[ONeillsNo1Fan]

How tragic. And it should've been a good day...knowing his job was coming back soon. *sigh* I'm definitely praying for them. :cry:

[Fernando da Silva]

:cry:

[nccanes]

Heartbreaking.....

1,000 attend O'Neill funeral
Ex-Petes player remembered as important mentor to his brothers


LOIS KALCHMAN
SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Jeff O'Neill was still in shock yesterday at the funeral of his oldest brother Donny.

Jeff O'Neill knows that without Donny there were lots of things — maybe even hockey — that would not have become a reality.

Donny was the leader of the three boys, smoothing the path for both Jeff and middle brother, Ryan. Donny played house league in King City, then junior and then major junior. Ryan and Jeff followed.

Yesterday, Jeff O'Neill still was not willing to give up an important symbol in the life of his older brother. He was dressed in Don's Peterborough Petes captain sweater, with the number 18 on it, the same one he had worn on Friday during visitations.

He wore it as he walked down the aisle behind his parents, Paul and Laverne O'Neill, Ryan, and a police honour guard.

Don O'Neill, 33, died tragically in a predawn single-car accident on Thursday morning at the ramp of highways 401 and 407. He was driving a pick-up truck to work at Gazzola Paving — where he managed the asphalt plant — just as he did every day, only this time he was not wearing a seatbelt. Somehow, he lost control of the truck. It went onto the shoulder and he was thrown out the window. The truck rolled over, crushing him. Police say neither speed nor alcohol were involved. His British bulldog, Bugsy, was with him and survived.

"He was a tremendous mentor to his brothers," Don's friend Bill Cober told the crowd of nearly 1,000 people who sat in the seats, lined the walls and stood outside the Mary Lake Shrine building in King City. "Jeff and Ryan, he loved you guys ... Jeff with his success in hockey and Ryan as a police officer."

O'Neill had recently been named coach-of-the-year by the NobleKing Minor Hockey Association. His team of 13-year-olds were wearing their club sweaters as they sat near the casket.

Former National Hockey League player Jason Dawe had played with O'Neill on the Peterborough Petes major junior team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1989-92.

Dawe now lives in Charlotte, N.C., and flew to Toronto for the funeral.

"He was my captain," Dawe told the Star. "It's crazy when something like this happens. "That sweater (Jeff wore) ... you could see Donny in it sticking up for his teammates and ultimately for the team and that's why he was captain of the Petes. The turnout showed what a great person he was. Everybody loved him."

"I lost it today," Dawe admitted. " I've been crying all afternoon. My eyes are still burning. When I saw the casket rolled into (the church) reality set in.

"It's tough. I've never had anyone remotely close to me die before. I guess you don't get used to it."

A Leaf clan of Gary Roberts, Nick Kypreos and former coach Mike Murphy were standing outside the church as the procession to the cemetery started.

"Hockey is a small, tight world," Kypreos said. "When something like this happens it affects us all. We have to be here for each other.

"I'm here to support Jeff and his family," Kypreos said. "Everyone in the hockey world knew how close Jeff was with his brother. He lost his big brother and that is not supposed to happen. I think wearing the shirt helped.

"I hope this strengthens Jeff to play better not just for himself but for his brother who will (still) be watching him."

[Staal-aholic]

that was a heartbreaking article just to read let alone attend the actual funeral, Maybe Jeff would want to wear number 18 next season

[Mona]

that was a heartbreaking article just to read let alone attend the actual funeral, Maybe Jeff would want to wear number 18 next season

I was thinking the same thing about the #18. What an incredible sad thing to happen but what an uplifting story to know that 1,000 people loved you enough to come and pay their respects. What a great guy he must have been.

Thanks for posting E. :cry:

[Gipper]

I agree...either Jeff should wear the #18 or the Hurricanes should retire it in his honor (sort of like how Atlanta retired #37, didn't they?)

[Staal-aholic]

i doubt they would retire it since he wasn't an official member of the organization

[Gipper]

Neither was Wayne Gretzky...but 99 is still retired.

[nccanes]

#99 was retired by the league, not the Canes. Dan Snyder's number was 37 and it has not been retired. Seems odd to think the Canes would retire that number, but odder to discuss.

RIP Donny O'Neill. :sad:

[puck_it]

man that article was so sad. poor jeff.

[Turbulence]

What a tragic, tragic story.

[Mona]

I feel so bad for him too. I don't know if this will make him work harder to honor Donny's memory or the pain will put him in a downward spiral. I hope he can take his grief and pain and put it into a good solid year on the ice. :sad: That would make Donny proud.. since he lived "his" NHL life through O. :cry:

[puck_it]

i was worried about putting him in a downward spiral, but based upon his wearing of donny's sweater non stop makes me think hes going to try his damndest to make his brother pround and be the leader he was. i certainly hope thats the case.

[Turbulence]

i was worried about putting him in a downward spiral, but based upon his wearing of donny's sweater non stop makes me think hes going to try his damndest to make his brother pround and be the leader he was. i certainly hope thats the case.

I sure, sure hope so. This can be the type of thing that can either make somebody shut down, or give them new life. This is the type of tragedy that gives a person fire in their belly...makes them a better worker, a more mature leader.

[caniac369]

i was worried about putting him in a downward spiral, but based upon his wearing of donny's sweater non stop makes me think hes going to try his damndest to make his brother pround and be the leader he was. i certainly hope thats the case.

I sure, sure hope so. This can be the type of thing that can either make somebody shut down, or give them new life. This is the type of tragedy that gives a person fire in their belly...makes them a better worker, a more mature leader.

I just found out about this. Damn

I 100% agree with you guys. As sad as this is (and after loosing one of my closest friends in a similar accident last year I sympathize) maybe this terrible tragedy will be the kick in the pants he has needed to quit messing around with his life (ie: wizzing on the Kmart) and to put the gifts God blessed him with to play this game and really be everything he has the potential to be. :sad: