GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The local hockey community came together Sunday to honor the life of Kasey Kruse, a beloved player and coach whose story began with a severe concussion at age 13 and ended with him taking his own life.
The inaugural Kasey Kruse Memorial Golf Classic at Mid Vallee Golf Course brought together friends, family, and supporters with one goal — to raise money for concussion baseline testing and to build a memorial wall at the new state-of-the-art rink inside Cornerstone Community Center, which will host St. Norbert College men’s and women’s hockey.
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“Today is about celebrating the life of my son Kasey and also bringing a bunch of people together in the community to better this community,” said Kasey’s father, David Kruse.
Kasey’s parents say that without baseline concussion testing, doctors had no clear way to measure the extent of his brain injury or track his recovery. Over the years, the effects of the concussion led to anxiety, depression, and other challenges that altered his life.
“My son suffered a severe concussion… he had no baseline… that is what we want to prevent,” David added. “We can take this to help a lot of people to not have to go through what my son had… and what my family did.”
Family friend Michelle Stimpson, who lost three children of her own, helped organize the event in just 75 days. The golf outing sold out, with strong community support from sponsors and donors.
“They need someone to walk alongside them… to help them figure out what that looks like next,” Stimpson said.
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Kasey was remembered for his humor, kindness, and ability to light up any room. His parents say his legacy will live on through the work of the Kasey Kruse Foundation, which is housed under the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation.
The family plans to make the golf outing an annual fundraiser.
For more information on the foundation or to donate, visit kaseykrusegolfclassic.com.
