Beloved 16-year-old hockey player is killed after being struck by a train, leaving his family devastated

A standout pupil hockey subordinate died past week aft being struck by a bid successful his hometown.

Elliott Kropf, 16, is being remembered by his household arsenic loving and passionate, a week aft the calamity successful New Canaan, Connecticut.

He died aft being struck by a Metro-North bid astatine the Talmadge Hill presumption astir 11:10pm Saturday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department confirmed successful a statement.

The collision did not look to person immoderate transgression aspect, cops said - adding however the precocious schooler was pronounced dormant astatine the scene.

The authorities Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Elliott's origin and mode of decease remained pending. The New Canaan Superintendent of Schools praised the teen for his prowess connected the crystal and arsenic a student.

'My bosom breaks for Elliott, his family, and each who knew and loved him,' Bryan Luizzi said, revealing however schools successful municipality would person a two-hour hold Monday due to the fact that of the boy's death.

'Together, let's support them each successful our thoughts and prayers arsenic we enactment 1 different during this challenging time.'

The authoritative concluded by remarking however the elder had been some a 'strong student' and 'excellent athlete' passim his 3 years astatine New Canaan High School, while allowing clip for his friend's and household to talk with counselors and staff. 

Athletic Director Jay Egan however that each of New Canaan High School's athletics events for Monday would beryllium postponed, arsenic locals came to presumption with the unexplained tragedy.

'There are truly not immoderate words for this,' Egan said successful his ain statement. 'You suffer a subordinate of your family, that's what it is. It's hard connected everyone. It's hard connected the students, it's hard connected the teachers, and everybody conscionable wants to bash the close thing.'

The time helium died, Elliott played a hockey crippled successful a autumn league not connected to his schoolhouse but included galore of the aforesaid players, his father, Scott Kropf, told the Stamford Advocate.

After that, helium went location successful showered, aft going retired to meal and spending clip with a friend, his dada said.

At immoderate constituent helium near again, but helium ne'er returned.

'He loved life, helium was passionate, if helium loved you, you knew it,' his mother Ngoc Dinh told the section insubstantial this week successful an interview. 'He equated the squad [the New Canaan High School Rams] and friends arsenic family. 

'We convey everyone for loving him back.'

The pair, on with their 2 younger sons, Charlie, 15, and Harrison, 9, are present trying to marque consciousness of the tragedy, against the backdrop of overwhelming support.

While the circumstances of his decease stay shrouded, Krop's 'last time was beautiful,' his begetter said, citing however the teen had spent clip with friends, teammates, and family.

'It was everything helium loved,' Kropf said.

Of however his lad would beryllium remembered connected the ice, helium said, 'He was truly magnetic, One of the kids called him the 'glue guy' - due to the fact that helium held the squad together.'

A memorial work was held Monday astatine St. Aloysius Church, wherever attendees were told to 'Bring hockey sticks and/or play clubs to Weeburn for a infinitesimal of soundlessness and radical photo.' 

Elliott had besides been an avid golfer, and was remembered astatine the commencement of Wednesday night's Town Council gathering by Chair Michael Mauro.

'I privation to admit the nonaccomplishment of 1 of our beauteous children of the municipality successful a precise tragic incidental implicit the weekend,' helium said.

'And I would similar to suggest a infinitesimal of soundlessness successful his honor.

'It's 1 of those moments successful beingness that volition conscionable perfectly crush your beingness and we grieve arsenic a assemblage with the family' Mauro continued.

'[Let's] support them successful our thoughts and prayers arsenic they are dealing with an extraordinarily tragic time.'