Former College Hockey Player Drowns On Nantucket

NANTUCKET (CBS) – A former college hockey player drowned in Nantucket harbor on Saturday afternoon.

Corey C. Griffin, 27, of Scituate, was pronounced dead at Nantucket Cottage Hospital at 3 a.m. after an off-duty lifeguard recovered Griffin's body, according to Nantucket Police.

At 2 a.m., police received a report of a man who had gone missing after diving off the Juice Guys ice cream shop building at 44 Straight Warf, according to police. A witness told police Griffin resurfaced after the dive. However, Griffin then went under again and did not resurface.

The off-duty lifeguard, Colin Perry, who was working nearby, made several rescue dives to locate Griffin and recovered him, police said. Perry found Griffin's body on the bottom of the harbor.

Police performed CPR on Griffin until firefighters arrived and took Griffin to the hospital.

Police are investigating the incident.

Hours before his death, Griffin had raised $100,000 for ALS research in honor of his friend, Peter Frates. Frates inspired the Ice Bucket Challenge.

Frates issued a statement on the death of his friend:

"Team FrateTrain lost a good friend today, Corey Griffin.

Helping out was nothing new for Griff. He held his own event for me back in 2012, just a few months after diagnosis. He worked his butt off these last few weeks for ALS. We texted everyday, planning and scheming ways to raise funds and plan events.

Julie, myself, the Frates family and Team FrateTrain sends their love and support to the South Shore and the Griffin family.

God Bless.

RIP Corey."

Griffin was on the Boston College hockey team his freshman year before transferring and playing at Babson College.

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