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Mikayla Mccarvel, a senior on Shakopee's girls hockey team, passed away on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, twenty days after sustaining a brain injury in a two-vehicle collision. According to the Star Tribune, on December 26, 2023, Mikayla and three other 17-year-olds were heading east on Tinta Canku when they were struck by a car with two passengers heading south on County Road 21.
Mikayla was transported to an area hospital, where she remained for more than two weeks until she passed away after succumbing to their injuries. It is unclear whether there were any other people injured in the crash besides Mikayla Mccarvel, as authorities have not revealed details about the accident, including if the driver was charged in the case.
On Tuesday, Mikayla Mccarvel’s father, Dan McCarvel, confirmed on a Caring Bridge website that his 17-year-old daughter died after sustaining a brain injury. Dan revealed her organs were donated, writing,
“She was able to grant several prayers to other families."
Community mourns the loss of promising young hockey player Mikayla Mccarvel
The Shakopee community is mourning the loss of a promising young hockey player, Mikayla Mccarvel, who died on Tuesday after sustaining injuries in a crash last month.
The teen’s father, who confirmed the death on the Caring Bridge website, paid tribute to his daughter, saying that while she put up a strong fight, her injuries were grievous for her to overcome.
Mikayla’s father, Dan, spoke about his daughter’s irreverent spirit, saying she sought new adventures every day as she loved the thrill of a challenge.
"Mikayla’s life was one filled with endless adventure. It was hard to keep up with all the things she wanted to do next. She was never one to shy away from something new for fear of failure or embarrassment. To best honor her – go try something new…find that new adventure."
Reacting to the tragic news, Shakopee Public Schools paid tribute to the promising young athlete in a Facebook post promising to support the school community to cope with the devastating loss. Mikayla, who devoted most of her time to hockey, soccer, and band, was described as an excellent student.
Several people, including the Shakopee HS band program, took to Facebook and spoke about Mikayla’s kindness and her innate ability to put people at ease. Shakopee bands wrote,
“Mikayla McCarvel was an incredible young woman and had many close friends made through the Shakopee Bands. She was a talented player, a consummate bandmate, and had a near-constant smile on her face. She will be dearly missed by those she knew and were lucky enough to know her.”
The school’s volleyball team also penned a tribute to the late teen, saying they will honor her memory by emulating the teen’s penchant for adventure and seeking new adventures every day. In a Facebook post, they wrote,
"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of fellow Saber athlete, Mikayla McCarvel. We offer our deepest condolences to the McCarvel family, Mikayla's friends, and our Shakopee community - especially Shakopee Girls Hockey and Girls Soccer teams."
Shortly after the crash, KARE 11 reported that following a recent game, the Shakopee school hockey team Shakopee Sabers paid tribute to their teammate as players from the team and opponents gathered at center ice, wrapped their arms around each other, and prayed for her recovery.
