Blake Cognata dead at 17

Blake Cognata, the New York high schooler who was surprised earlier this week by a call from Minnesota Viking star Adrian Peterson, has died.

He battled Ewing’s sarcoma for nearly a year, and passed away Saturday morning, two days before his 18th birthday.

On Monday, friends launched a Twitter effort to get Cognata’s favorite player — Peterson — to call him. Ninety minutes after the first message was posted, Peterson was on the phone with the boy.

On Wednesday, a package of gifts from Peterson arrived at the hospital.