Local hockey player dies after collapsing at ice rink

A 24-year-old Bloomington man died suddenly while ice skating Saturday afternoon.

According to a report from the Bloomington Police Department, the man fell at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Frank Southern Ice Arena on South Henderson Street.

IU men’s hockey Coach Pete Nelson said the man’s name was Michael Giesler.

The cause of death is not yet clear.

IU Health ambulance personnel attempted CPR at the scene but were unsuccessful.

Later, he was pronounced dead in the emergency room, Bloomington Police Department Sgt. Joe Crider said.

He had been ice skating and may have sustained a seizure, then fell down, Crider said. Giesler complained to two other people in the arena of feeling tired before he fell.

Teammates of Giesler said he was an extremely friendly person and dedicated to hockey.

“He was the definition of a rink rat,” said John Gerhan, who said he was Giesler’s best friend.

Gerhan said his friend played on the official IU team for one year. After that year, Gerhan and Giesler became roommates.

“He was a very effective, smart hockey player,” Gerhan added.

Both from Minnesota, Gerhan and Giesler grew up in the same area and were hockey players on rival teams during high school.

When they both showed up to hockey tryouts at IU, Giesler initially refused to speak to Gerhan. But soon, the pair were the best of friends.

“As our friendship grew, I felt like he was more of a brother to me,” Gerhan said. “We just got each other.”

Nelson had known him since he started coaching the team. Also a fellow Minnesota native, Nelson said he had worked with Giesler during his first year coaching.

“He was one of the first people I met here,” Nelson said. “First and foremost, he was a part of our hockey team with IU.”

Nelson said Giesler left the team because of academic reasons. He was finishing his degree requirements and was due to graduate from Ivy Tech at the time that he died.

Nelson went on to explain that he is a member of the same men’s hockey league team in Bloomington of which Giesler was a member.

Tommy Washburn said he was Giesler’s teammate for three years. He said the team is very close and that Giesler was a “huge spirit who truly cared about
everybody.”

“Michael played a big brother role for everyone on that team,” Washburn said.

Gerhan said there will be a funeral for his friend in Minnesota and a service for him 10 a.m. Wednesday at Bloomington’s Allen Funeral Home.

On Saturday, when the team plays University of Kentucky, Gerhan will wear Giesler’s jersey.

“We’re going to retire his number after the game,” he said.

Dennis Barbosa contributed reporting to this story.