Young Islanders Fan Who Passed Away From Heart Condition to be Honored By Team

(Photo via GoFundMe)

The New York Islanders will honor a young fan who recently passed away from a rare heart condition, prior to their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Five year-old, Maya Cohen, from Livingston, New Jersey, passed away from a rare hidden heart condition four months ago, and had been a huge Islander fan just like her father Seth. Seth Cohen told Livingston Patch, that the “spunky and vivacious” five-year-old is still inspiring strength.

Through a partnership with the Islanders, Cohen and other members of Maya’s Rainbow Foundation will be participation in an awareness-raising event for the newly launched non-profit organization. The Islanders charity 50/50 raffle during the game against the Lightning, will benefit Maya’s Rainbow Foundation.

The foundation will also share Maya’s story at an information table on the concourse at the Barclays Center and Cohen will also be doing an interview during the first intermission of the game.

Cohen told Livingston Patch, “The Islanders have always been my passion, that love is something I shared with my own kids and in her own way, Maya loved the Islanders.”  He added, “The event came to be thanks to an old friend and the incredible generosity of the New York Islanders.”

When he was asked by Livingston Patch how his emotions would be on Monday night, he told them that they would be “all over the place.” He said “My wife and I love the Islanders, I wear an Islanders shirt pretty much every day. This is a shared love with Maya and it hurts know we will never get to take her to a game again.”

He also added that there will be a little bit of pride and excitement too, “Maya inspires me every time I get to talk about her and Maya’s Rainbow, I feel like I get a little stronger. So we are excited to share her story, it is a story that deserves to be told.”