Murray Is Reflective Over Death of Brooks

King Coach Andy Murray recoiled when he learned about Herb Brooks’ death in a car crash Monday. Then he reflected.

Murray had been involved in a violent car accident almost 18 months ago.

Brooks, who coached the 1980 U.S. Olympic team to its “Miracle on Ice” victory against the Soviet Union and a subsequent gold medal, was killed when his minivan veered off an interstate highway north of Minneapolis and rolled several times.

The coroner’s office said Tuesday that Brooks, 66, had not been wearing a seat belt and died of multiple blunt-force chest and abdominal injuries when he was ejected.

Murray, unlike Brooks, was wearing a seat belt during his accident.

“I’m here today because I was,” Murray said.

Murray was driving from his off-season home in Fairbault, Minn., to Madison, Wis., to watch his son, Braden, in a high school hockey tournament during the NHL’s two-week Winter Olympic break in February 2002.

Traveling in his truck at about 65 mph on Interstate 90 near Sparta, Wis., Murray hit a patch of ice and skidded off the highway. His truck crashed through a wire fence, rolled several times down an embankment into a wooded area and landed upside-down about 300 feet from the highway.

Murray suffered four broken ribs, a separated shoulder, a concussion and numerous cuts and scrapes. He rejoined the Kings three weeks later.

Murray said he didn’t find any parallels with his and Brooks’ accidents.

“I’m still here and, unfortunately, Herb isn’t, so I don’t even compare the two situations,” he said. “This is very sad, very tragic. Not just to people in Minnesota, where he’s a real icon, but people all over the place were affected by it.”

Murray and Brooks were acquaintances. Murray coached against Brooks in 1997-98, when Murray was an associate coach for Team Canada and Brooks was coaching the French national team.

Two months ago, Murray talked with Brooks for an hour at the Nashville airport after having attended the NHL draft.

“He had the energy of somebody that was just getting back into a coaching career,” Murray said.

Murray said he still feels some effects from his accident. His memory is not as strong as it was. He forgets little things and gets frustrated.

He also said he has tried to re-prioritize the things that are most important to him.

“You’d like to think that maybe you give more time to things that are important, but in this business, it’s such an all-encompassing thing, it’s difficult to know if you are or not,” he said. “I’m trying.”

Funeral services for Brooks will be Saturday at St. Paul’s Cathedral in St. Paul, Minn.

Associated Press contributed to this report.