Mark Pavelich's 'Miracle on Ice' Teammates Keep His Memory Alive

Five years after his death, Pavelich's former teammates honor his legacy through a mental health facility he helped establish.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Mark Pavelich, a member of the 1980 'Miracle on Ice' U.S. Olympic hockey team, grappled with mental illness and traumatic brain injuries in the final years of his life. After his death by suicide in 2021, his teammates have worked to keep his memory alive by raising funds and awareness for The Ranch, a mental health facility he helped establish. The facility provides support for athletes, veterans, and first responders struggling with PTSD, substance abuse, and mental distress associated with traumatic brain injuries.

Why it matters

Pavelich's story highlights the long-term impacts of head injuries sustained in hockey and the importance of addressing mental health challenges faced by athletes. His teammates' efforts to continue his work at The Ranch aim to help others who may be struggling with similar issues.

The details

Pavelich was charged in 2019 with a felony for assaulting a neighbor he thought had spiked his beer. Experts diagnosed him with a mild neurocognitive disorder due to a traumatic brain injury that was likely related to repeated head injuries from his hockey career. Going to the Eagle's Healing Nest in Minnesota seemed to help Pavelich, but he ultimately died by suicide in 2021. Before his death, Pavelich wrote a sizeable check to keep efforts going at The Ranch, a mental health facility he and former teammate Barry Beck had envisioned opening.

  • Pavelich was charged with a felony in 2019.
  • Pavelich died by suicide on March 4, 2021.

The players

Mark Pavelich

A member of the 1980 'Miracle on Ice' U.S. Olympic hockey team who grappled with mental illness and traumatic brain injuries in the final years of his life.

Ronn Tomassoni

Pavelich's lifelong friend who believes his mental health issues were caused by the number of hits he took and personal trauma in his life.

Jean Pavelich Gevik

Pavelich's sister, who felt she had her brother back after he went to the Eagle's Healing Nest and believes The Ranch will be his lasting legacy.

Neal Broten

A member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team who didn't realize how much pain Pavelich was feeling.

Mike Eruzione

The captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team who thought Pavelich was 'very comfortable and in a great spot' but didn't know the extent of his illness.

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What they’re saying

“I'm convinced it happened because of the number of hits he took, and also he had some real personal trauma in his life. It all caught up to him at the end.”

— Ronn Tomassoni, Pavelich's lifelong friend (wtop.com)

“He sounded fine. Everything was great. I thought he was very comfortable and in a great spot, in a great place. But when you have that kind of illness or sickness, you never know. And I don't think anybody knew.”

— Mike Eruzione, 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team captain (wtop.com)

“He's part of our family. It's really important to know that we all struggle. I don't want to get hugely philosophical, but life is hard and things like this bring it to the forefront.”

— Rob McClanahan, Pavelich's former NHL teammate (wtop.com)

“Mark and I have a lot of the same issues, problems, lifeline almost. He died by suicide, and I almost died by suicide, so we can certainly relate to each other's issues.”

— Clint Malarchuk, Retired NHL goaltender (wtop.com)

“It forced me into action — because I saw what the alternative was, and it was dying. There's unfortunate situations where people don't make it out, and they're never able to see the light and they're ever able to get better.”

— Dan Carcillo, Retired NHL player and mental health advocate (wtop.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This story highlights the long-term impacts of head injuries sustained in hockey and the importance of addressing mental health challenges faced by athletes. Pavelich's teammates' efforts to continue his work at The Ranch aim to help others who may be struggling with similar issues, showing the power of community and support in overcoming mental health struggles.