NHL player David Pastrnak has announced the passing of his newborn son, Viggo Rohl Pastrnak.
"We have an Angel watching over us and we call him SON," he captioned the touching Instagram post on June 28. "You will be loved forever."
The 25-year-old right winger also asked for "privacy" at this time, as the family is currently going through "heartbreaking times." The hockey star did not reveal the cause of death for his son, who was born on June 17 and passed six days later, on June 23. Pastrnak shared his son with girlfriend Rebecca Rohlsson.
Following the heart-rending news, the Boston Bruins shared a statement to social media in support of Pastrnak and his family.
"We are heartbroken by the passing of David and Rebecca's son, Viggo," their statement read. "David and Rebecca are a part of our family and we share in their loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy during this very difficult time."
Many teammates, as well as players from other sports, extended their condolences and words of comfort in the comments section of Pastrnak's post.
Max Talbot, a retired hockey player who played for the Bruins, offered words of support by writing, "So sorry to hear," while Oliver Kylington, a hockey player for the Calgary Flames also commented, "I am so sorry for you guys brother." The official account for the NHL in Europe also commented, "So deeply sorry for your loss. Our thoughts are with you and your family."
Pastrnak was drafted in the first round by the Bruins in 2014 and was an All-Star in both 2019 and 2020.