Former NHL player-turned-firefighter dead at 38 after suffering heart attack during rec hockey game

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Raymond Sawada, a former second-round NHL draft pick, died Monday at the age of 38.

The former Dallas Star suffered a heart attack while playing in a recreational hockey league in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, just outside of Vancouver, resulting in the "devastating" and "sudden" passing.

Sawada had been a part of the Richmond Fire Department since 2017 "where he served with distinction and honor," his family said in a GoFundMe.

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Raymond Sawada #12 of the Dallas Stars skates during warm-ups before the game against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden on February 3, 2011 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

"Ray was such a bright light in the lives he touched. He enjoyed traveling with Nicole, the girls, and family and friends. He was a talented hockey player and a dedicated coach for his girls. Ray was passionately driven and motivated in everything he did, and the surrounding community will be left with a void," the page reads.

Raymond Sawada #12 of the Dallas Stars during play against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the American Airlines Center on March 1, 2009 in Dallas, Texas. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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"For the girls and Nicole, losing their dad and husband is going to leave a sad mark on their hearts and make for a long road ahead. From the family, we are truly grateful for the love and support that we have already received. We appreciate every single message and act of kindness. We feel the love. It gives us reassurance that throughout this