Brendan Burke, the youngest son of Leafs president Brian Burke, is dead after an accident in Indiana.

A brief statement from the Leafs indicated that 21-year-old died of his injuries from the accident which happened earlier on Friday.

The family has asked for “privacy at this difficult time,” the statement said.

Brendan and his friend, Mark A. Reedy, 18 of Michigan, were in a two-car accident at about 2:50 p.m. Friday in Wayne County, according to local police.

Brendan was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee when, witnesses say, the vehicle slid sideways into the path of a Ford truck.

The roads were treacherous with heavy accumulation of snowfall at that time, police said.

The fatal accident was one of 35 crashes reported in U.S. Friday.

Burke and his son Brendan were featured in a Toronto Star story in November 2009 after the younger Burke came out and said he was gay. He’d told his dad at Christmas 2007.

Burke, who has five other children, had told the Star’s Damien Cox that Brendan was very special. “People trust him immediately. He has a very sweet side that I envy because I don't have it,” Burke had said.

“I just wish every parent could experience having a child like him.”

“On behalf of the entire Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment family, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Brian Burke. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Burke family during this extremely difficult time.”