The community of Keswick, Ontario, is devastated by the death of Nolan Ion, a 15-year-old hockey player for the Upper York Admirals U16 AA club.
Nolan, a Grade 10 student at Keswick High School, passed away on March 18, 2025, just days before his 16th birthday.
His sudden death has left his parents, Korina and James Ion, and younger brother devastated, along with friends, teammates, and loved ones who cherished his spirit both on and off the ice.
Nolan’s life was tragically cut short after he suffered a pulmonary embolism and cardiac arrest during gym class on March 17.
What began as a typical school day quickly turned into a nightmare.
Paramedics rushed him from Keswick to Southlake Health Centre in Newmarket, where he experienced cardiac arrest three times during the journey.
Despite their heroic efforts, Nolan’s condition worsened.
He was transferred to SickKids Hospital in Toronto for emergency surgery, a severe six-hour procedure to remove five blood clots from his lungs and two from his heart.
Tragically, Nolan didn’t survive, passing away the following evening.
For months, Nolan Had Been Quietly Battling Lung Issues
His struggles first surfaced in November 2024, when he found it hard to breathe while playing hockey—a sport he loved dearly and shared with his father, James.
After a hospital visit, doctors diagnosed him with “walking pneumonia” and a punctured lung.
Nolan took time off to heal, sitting out from the game that defined so much of his life.
By the new year, he’d recovered enough to get the green light from doctors to return to the ice.
But the relief was short-lived. Nolan began experiencing breathing difficulties again, especially during intense hockey play.
His family thought it was manageable until the pain struck harder in mid-March.
On Saturday, March 15, James took Nolan to Southlake Health Centre after he complained of severe discomfort.
An X-ray was performed, and doctors sent him home, assuring the family he was fine.
Two days later, Nolan collapsed in gym class. The Ion family now wonders if that hospital visit was a missed chance to save him.
“I’ve lost all faith in the Newmarket hospital … The only way he was going to be saved was Saturday night”
Via Auroratoday
Nolan’s Bond With Hockey Was Unbreakable, A Passion He Shared With His Dad
James coached him, cheered him on, and watched him grow into a dedicated athlete with the Upper York Admirals.
The team became a second family, and Nolan’s loss has shattered them.
In a touching tribute, Upper York wrote,
Korina, Nolan’s mother, poured her heart out online, sharing young photos of her son with captions that echo a mother’s endless love.
She wrote-:
“I’ll love you forever , like you for always ,as long as I’m living my baby/ best friend you’ll be xoxox
Via Facebook
You mean the world to me baby as a mother I will be by your side for the good bad and ugly .
You made me a proud mom and I’ll forever be proud to be your mom xoxo”
Her words paint a picture of a boy who was more than a son—he was her confidant, her joy.
As Nolan’s 16th birthday approached on March 20, his family and friends gathered for a bittersweet celebration.
Instead of cake and candles, they released balloons into the sky, a quiet tribute to a milestone he’d never reach.
James shared the moment on Facebook, a small act of love amid overwhelming sorrow.
Nolan’s grandmother added her message:
The outpouring of support has been immense. A GoFundMe campaign for Nolan’s medical expenses raised $61,946, a testament to how deeply he touched those around him.
Friends, teammates, and even strangers shared condolences, remembering a boy who lit up every room and every rink he entered.
For Korina and James, the pain is unimaginable. Losing Nolan, their oldest child, is a nightmare no parent should face.
The questions linger: Could more have been done? Could he still be here?
As they grieve, they hold tight to memories of Nolan’s laughter, determination, and how he made hockey a bridge between father and son.
The Upper York Admirals U16 AA team has lost a player, but Korina and James have lost their world.
Nolan Ion’s legacy, though, will live on in every slapshot, every cheer, and every heartbeat of those who loved him.
Rest In Peace, Nolan!
