ERIE, Colo. — A local NCAA hockey referee who suffered a pregame head injury last week in Michigan has died.
48-year old Butch Mousseau suffered a brain hemorrhage after falling on the ice and hitting his head in warmups for a Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff game. He remained in a coma until Friday when he passed away.
Saturday tributes for the Erie referee were pouring in from all over the country.
“How do good people get taken away from us and he’s one of the best, on and off the ice,” said David Topping,” who worked with Mousseau.
Mousseau touched people in every league. Saturday, the Colorado Avalanche held a moment of silence with a picture of Mousseau displayed on the Jumbotron before their game at the Pepsi Center. At least one of the NHL referees for the game wore Mousseau’s number 12 on his helmet.
The same could be seen in Littleton at the Ice Ranch.
“The guy was just like Elvis… Like Elvis and Ghandi put together. He just knew how to control games,” said Topping.
Mousseau was an accomplished referee whose NHL official sweater and skates are in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. He was the league’s first Native American official.
“We often called him the mayor because the first time he met you it would be a smile on his face and his hand out,” said Tim Swaider, a fellow hockey referee who worked with Mousseau for years.
“Its a huge loss to our refereeing community,” said Topping who was handing out the number 12 stickers in honor of Mousseau.
“We’ll probably wear these for years. This is just another way of having him inside you know,” he said.
Donations are pouring in to help Mousseau’s family with medical expenses. Colorado’s Dawg Nation Hockey Organization is contributing $3.00 for every $1.00 donated on the first $2,500. Click here for more information. A GoFundMe page has also been set up.
“On and off the ice. He’s just a great great great man and Im gonna miss him,” said Topping.
