Michael Mantenuto (May 13, 1981 April 24, 2017) was an American film actor, college ice hockey player, and Army non-commissioned officer, best known for his performance as Olympic ice hockey star Jack O'Callahan in the 2004 Disney biopic '' Miracle''.

Early life and sports

Michael Mantenuto was born in Holliston, Massachusetts. He is an alumnus of the University of Maine, where he played one season for the Maine Black Bears men's ice hockey squad; following that season he transferred to the University of Massachusetts at Boston and played one additional season for their team. His time playing hockey allowed him the opportunity to audition for, and ultimately win, the role of Jack O'Callahan, a player on the 1980 Olympic men's ice hockey team, who beat the Soviet Union team in what is now referred to as the "

Miracle on Ice The "Miracle on Ice" was an ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. It was played between the hosting United States and the Soviet Union on February 22, 1980, during the medal round of the men's hockey tourna ...

Film career and U.S. Army service

Mantenuto did not actively pursue an acting career, appearing in only two other films, including the Matthew McConaughey feature '' Surfer, Dude''. He ultimately enlisted in the United States Army and served as a

Special Forces Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...

communications sergeant and dog handler (" Green Beret"). Mantenuto was part of ODA 1222, B Co., 2nd BN, 1st Special Forces Group, and HHC,

1st Special Forces Group The 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) (1st SFG) (A) is a unit of the U.S. Army Special Forces operating under the United States Pacific Command. It is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions throughout the Indo-Pacific Command a ...

, according to his Army Special Operations Command bio in 2016 he was deployed in support of

Operation Inherent Resolve Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) is the U.S. military's operational name for the International military intervention against IS, including both a campaign in Iraq and a campaign in Syria, with a closely-related campaign in Libya. Throu ...

. '' Army Times'' reported that during his service he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, three Army Achievement Medals, three Good Conduct Medals and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Additionally, Mantenuto created and led a mental health and substance abuse program for soldiers under the supervision of his command.

Death

On April 24, 2017, Mantenuto was found dead of a

self-inflicted gunshot wound A suicide method is any means by which a person chooses to end their life. Suicide attempts do not always result in death, and a nonfatal suicide attempt can leave the person with serious physical injuries, long-term health problems, and brai ...

at the age of 35 in Des Moines, Washington.Shanley, Patrick (April 27, 2017)
"'Miracle' Star Michael Mantenuto Found Dead at 35"
'' The Hollywood Reporter''/ Yahoo! Movies.

References

External links

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Career stats
at the Internet Hockey Database {{DEFAULTSORT:Mantenuto, Michael 1981 births 2017 suicides 2017 deaths University of Maine alumni Suicides by firearm in Washington (state) People from Holliston, Massachusetts United States Army non-commissioned officers Maine Black Bears men's ice hockey players American male film actors 21st-century American male actors Male actors from Massachusetts United States Army personnel of the Iraq War Ice hockey people from Middlesex County, Massachusetts