Canadian dies on Cuban holiday

Canadian dies on Cuban holiday
By SHAWN LOGAN, QMI Agency
Last Updated: May 4, 2010 6:17am

CALGARY -- Friends of a Calgary man are in shock after learning of his
mysterious death while on vacation in Cuba.

Rick Shaughnessy, a former home delivery supervisor for the Sun, had
been enjoying the island hotspot with his girlfriend when he died
suddenly on Saturday, prompting Cuban authorities to call for an
autopsy. Stew MacMillan, who has known the 56-year-old Shaughnessy for
several years, said details surrounding his death remain vague, with
explanations ranging from stepping on a poisonous fish to succumbing to
an infection.

"I'm still in shock — he looked after himself," he said.

"Apparently he was walking down the beach with his girlfriend when his
eyes started rolling back and within two hours he was gone." The father
of four grown children — two sons and two daughters — was president of
the Stampede City Oldtimers Hockey League and between hitting the ice
and hitting the links at the Elks Lodge and Golf Club, he was in top shape.

In addition to playing some 50 hockey games a year, he was also a
four-handicap golfer who walked 18 holes carrying his bag at least twice
a week during golf season.

Gord Sawyer, president of the Edmonton Rush lacrosse team, recently
lived with Shaughnessy for two years and was also stunned to hear of the
strange passing of his friend. "It's very mysterious — we're trying to
piece it all together but we have to wait until the do the autopsy in
Cuba," he said.

"I'm still numb."

Having talked to Shaughnessy just before he left on the trip, Sawyer
said he's still waiting for the whole story behind his friend's death.
Family friend Reg Skippen has been in contact with both family and
Shaughnessy's girlfriend who was flying home Monday after Cuban
authorities refused to disclose any details of his death because she
isn't kin.

"Nobody really knows what happened and we won't until they do the
autopsy," he said, adding there is some concern they will have to pay
the Cuban government to have his body returned to Canada.

"We have no idea whether he took out travel insurance or not — we're
just waiting."

shawn.logan@sunmedia.ca

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/05/04/13814796-qmi.html