A beloved NHL reporter who covered the Minnesota Wild died in a house fire Saturday along with her three young children.
The NHL confirmed the death of Jessi Pierce and her children earlier Sunday.
“The entire National Hockey League family sends our prayers and deepest condolences to the Pierce family on the passing of Jessi Pierce and her three young children,” said a statement on X.
The White Bear Lake Fire Department reported a fatal house fire in the Minnesota town and the deaths of an adult, three children and a dog. The department’s release did not identify the victims by name.
Neighbors called 911 to report fire coming through the roof of a home, and response crews arrived to find a “fully involved structure fire.”
Pierce was a contributor to NHL.com for 10 seasons and covered the Minnesota Wild, her hometown team. NHL.com called Pierce “a fixture on the area’s sports scene” in an obituary online.
NHL.com remembered Pierce as a smiling presence at Grand Casino Arena, “often cloaked in a blanket to combat the cold in the press box.”
The obituary also highlighted her role as a mother, saying that Pierce was “intensely proud” of her family. “When Pierce started her family, she would sometimes show up to a Wild practice with one of her young children on her hip, melding family and work into a modern-day package,” the obituary reads.
The Minnesota Wild also shared their heartbreak over the loss, remembering Pierce as “a kind, compassionate person that cared deeply about her family and those around her.”
Michael Russo, a reporter for The Athletic, said on X that “a lot of tears were shed at the arena yesterday” during last night’s game against the Dallas Stars.
“We, in the Wild media and inside the Wild, will miss seeing Jessi everyday, laughing with her everyday,” he added. “The press box and press room won’t be the same without her.”
