Mikayla McCarvel, Shakopee HS Hockey Player, Dies Weeks After Crash

SHAKOPEE, MN — The Shakopee High School community is mourning after 17-year-old Mikayla McCarvel, a high school student and hockey player, died in the hospital Tuesday from a brain injury, three weeks after the serious two-car crash she was involved in.

"Our hearts are broken to share that Mikayla passed away this evening surrounded by her family. While she put up a tremendous fight, her injuries were too significant to overcome," McCarvel's father, Dan, wrote on CaringBridge. "God has much bigger plans for our beautiful angel.

Dan added that: "We are beyond thankful for all the praying and well wishes from friends, teammates, and all those prayer circles we heard about from all over Minnesota and beyond. Know that while the outcome wasn’t what we desired, we take comfort in knowing that those prayers helped comfort her as she passed."

"This loss is sure to raise many emotions for those that had the opportunity to connect with Mikayla and her family throughout her life," Shakopee Public Schools said in a statement.

McCarvel was in the middle of her second season playing for the Sabers girls' hockey team.

The crash she was involved in occurred just after 8 p.m. on Dec. 26 at County Road 21 and Tintaocanku in Shakopee, police to the Star Tribune.

McCarvel and three other 17-year-olds from Shakopee were going east on Tintaocanku and were struck by a driver heading south on County Road 21, investigators said.

The male driver and female passenger in the southbound vehicle were from Hastings and were identified as ages 26 and 20, respectively.

Police declined to release additional information from the crash.