David Pastrnak, NHL Player, Reveals His Newborn Son Has Died

David Pastrnak, an NHL player who is a member of the Boston Bruins, announced that his newborn son, Viggo Rohl Pastrnak, has died. The 25-year-old shared the news on his Instagram page and revealed his son died on Wednesday, June 23. Pastrnak and his girlfriend, Rebecca Rohlsson, welcomed Viggo on Thursday, June 17.

“Viggo Rohl Pastrnak June 17th 2021 – June 23rd 2021. We have an Angel watching over us and we call him SON. You will be loved FOREVER,” Pastrnak wrote in the caption while also adding, “Please respect our privacy as we are going through these heartbreaking times.” The Bruins showed their support for the family in a statement.

“We are heartbroken by the passing of David and Rebecca’s son, Viggo. David and Rebecca are a part of our family and we share in their loss,” the statement read. “Please keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy during this very difficult time.” Other NHL teams such as the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators, Colorado Avalanche and the Seattle Kraken also sent emotional messages to Pastrnak and his family.

Back in May, Pastrnak talked about getting ready for the baby by painting a nursery and building a crib. “You come home and you don’t think about hockey at all, you obviously have other priorities,” Pastrnak said to NHL.com. “You’re getting ready for the baby and we couldn’t be more excited. So, hockey’s not been talked much lately at home and sometimes that’s good, you know?

“When things are going well, it’s good, and when things are not going well, sometimes you just need to think about other stuff. For me it’s been definitely something new, but I’m so excited. Family is always going to be No. 1 and at the end of the day. I’m grateful that I can live and work with a job that I love, but at the end of the day it’s just a game. [My family] is always going to be No. 1.”

Pastrnak was drafted 25th overall by the Bruins in 2014. In his first season, Pastrnak scored 10 goals with 17 assists in 46 games. He has been selected to play in the All-Star game in 2019 and 2020 while being named All-Star Game MVP in 2020. This past season, Pastrnak scored 20 goals with 28 assists in 48 games.