Basketball referee Don McGillicuddy died after collapsing in the closing moments of Watertown High School’s girls basketball game against Old Rochester on Friday. Initially, Watertown Police and other medical personnel at the game revived him by performing CPR and using a defibrillator, but the Boston Herald reported that he later died on the way to hospital.
According to the Herald, McGillicuddy suffered a second heart attack en route to Mount Auburn Hospital and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. See the Herald article here.
The Watertown Public Schools released the following statement on Saturday:
The Watertown Raiders community is deeply saddened by the passing of a game official who collapsed in the final seconds of the Watertown-Old Rochester Regional girls basketball game on Friday night.
Staff cleared the gym of students and spectators while a Watertown athletic trainer, officers from the Watertown Police Department, and members of the community rendered immediate aid to the official. We are thankful to everyone who provided medical assistance to the official and supported fans in the moments after this incident.
Students and spectators were moved to the Watertown Middle School auditorium and the decision was made a short time later to postpone the boys basketball game between Watertown and Shawsheen Tech to Saturday afternoon.
We understand that this incident was unsettling for those in attendance. School administrators spoke with students and families in the minutes after the game and counselors will be available for students on Monday. We encourage families to talk with their students about what they saw and how they are feeling, even if they are not showing obvious signs of being upset.
All of us at Watertown Public Schools are keeping this official and his loved ones in our thoughts.