The Columbus Blue Jackets and the McConnell family establish a Fund to honour Matiss Kivlenieks

Almost two months have passed now since the tragic and untimely death of Columbus Blue Jackets goaltending prospect Matiss Kivlenieks, following an accidental fireworks mortar blast striking the 24-year-old in the chest on the 4th of July.

In an effort to honour Kivlenieks and the type of person and player that he was, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the McConnell family have built the Matiss Kivlenieks Memorial Fund, also pledging up to $80,000 to match all donations made in Kivlenieks' memory.

The new fund has been set up to assist youth, both in his native Latvia, including his hometown of Riga, as well as in the Columbus area to become involved in various hockey programs.

By all accounts, Kivlenieks was a very warm-hearted and giving person. The creation of a fund like this in his name certainly seems like something Kivlenieks would have endorsed, were he able.

Such a tragic loss for the hockey community and especially for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Kivlenieks' home country of Latvia - but at least some good can come out of it. I'd encourage you, if you are able, to donate to the Fund to ensure that Matiss' legacy is one that allows others to enjoy the sport that he loved so much. Every little bit counts.

Kivlenieks would have been 25 years old today.

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