‘TOTAL CHANGE’

Judge: ‘Miracle on Ice’ Hero Mark Pavelich Should Be Committed Over Mental Illness

Mark Pavelich’s family has said they believe he suffers from the brain disorder CTE after repeated concussions from his time in the NHL.

A Minnesota judge has ordered that Mark Pavelich, a member of the “Miracle on Ice” U.S. 1980 Olympic hockey team, should be committed because he's mentally ill and dangerous. Pavelich, 61, was charged with felony assault in August for allegedly beating a friend with a metal pole after he accused the friend of spiking his beer. A judge found Pavelich incompetent to stand trial, and the criminal case was put on hold while the state sought to have Pavelich committed. According to Judge Michael Cuzzo’s order, one psychologist found Pavelich had delusions and paranoia, including a delusion that friends and family were trying to poison him. Another psychologist found he suffered from a mild neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury, likely related to repeated head injuries. Pavelich’s family have said they believe he suffers from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a brain disorder after repeated concussions from his time in the NHL. They said they started seeing changes in him a years ago, but he was unable to get any help. Pavelich had two assists in the critical game in which the U.S. beat the loaded Soviet team 4-3.