Fan passes away after collapsing at Blazers-Mavs game

[DiamondThief]

Nov. 7 -- A 67-year-old Portland Trail Blazers season ticket holder who collapsed at the Nov. 6 game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks game has died, according to team officials.

Sandra Zickefoose of Southwest Portland was attending the game in section 111 at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter when she collapsed midway through the fourth quarter. She was tended to by other fans and medical personnel who treated her with, among other things, CPR, before she was transported to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center by ambulance.

Ms. Zickefoose and her husband, Michael Cowan, have held season tickets since 2011.


Blazers Will Barton, Nicolas Batum and Steve Blake look on as paramedics and medical
personnel tend to the fan following her collapse in the fourth quarter of last night's game. 

Play was stopped at the time of her collapse due to a time out. As paramedics were tending to and taking the woman across the court to go to the ambulance, players and coaches from both teams stood and looked on somberly.

Blazers coach Terry Stotts began his post-game press conference with the following statement:

"Before I start, I'd like to express our thoughts and prayers going out to the fan who had the incident and was taken away. Obviously, I don't know much of what went on, but certainly, everybody in the locker room was concerned. It's sad."

Several players spoke of the incident following the game and others tweeted their support for the woman.

Through this site's official twitter account this morning, Kasey released the following statement on behalf of SC2C:

"We are saddened to hear of the passing of the woman who was treated at last night's Blazers game. Our thoughts & prayers are with her family." 

The Blazers won the game, 108-87.

Read the Oregonian's article here.
Trail Blazers reactions

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- ANM

[Yeseeka]

Thanks for the updates, Angi. This makes me really sad. Whether it's sports or anything else, there is nothing more important than life itself. I hope this doesn't sound cheesy or inappropriate, but this woman died doing something she loved. I somehow take some comfort in that. My prayers go out to her family as well.

[mark]

Nov 7, 2014 17:16:50 GMT -8 Yeseeka said:

Thanks for the updates, Angi. This makes me really sad. Whether it's sports or anything else, there is nothing more important than life itself. I hope this doesn't sound cheesy or inappropriate, but this woman died doing something she loved. I somehow take some comfort in that. My prayers go out to her family as well.

Not cheesy or inappropriate at all. Well said Jessica

[SurferGirl]

This is so tragic. I saw one of the photos where she was on the gurney being wheeled across the court. Fairly close behind them was LaMarcus Aldridge and even though he had a towel over his mouth, he looked horrified. I can't imagine witnessing something like this. I feel so sad for this family.

Jessica, Mark is right, it's not cheesy or inappropriate. This woman passed away watching the team she loved. There is comfort in that.