Authorities provided an update about Mike Hinrichs, the husband of late NHL reporter Jessi Pierce, after his entire family was killed in a house fire.
“We have been in close contact with Mike to support him, his family and his friends,” the White Bear Lake, Minnesota, fire department said in a press release on Wednesday, March 25. “He has asked us to share his request for privacy while he grieves and the rest of his family and friends navigate this unimaginable time.”
Jessi, 37, and the couple’s three children — sons Hudson, 8, and Cayden, 6, and daughter Avery, 4 — were all killed when their single-family home caught on fire on Saturday, March 21. Their fatalities were confirmed in Wednesday’s press release.
Mike was out on town on business at the time of the fire, which also killed the family’s dog.
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“The White Bear Lake Fire Department and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office continue to dedicate all possible resources to investigating the cause of the fire,” the press release said.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but arson has been ruled out.
A GoFundMe has been established to support Mike in the tragic aftermath of the fire.
“We are raising funds to cover funeral expenses and to provide financial support for the family during this period of grief,” the fundraiser said. “Any contribution is appreciated.”
The GoFundMe has raised over $210,000 at the time of this story’s publication, including $10,000 donations from both the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Wild, who Jessie covered for years, issued a statement after her death.
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“Jessi was a kind, compassionate person that cared deeply about her family and those around her,” the organization said in a statement. “She served as a dedicated ambassador for the game of hockey during her time covering the Wild and the NHL. Jessi and her children will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to their family, friends, and all who knew and loved them.”
Wild general manager, Bill Guerin, spoke about Jessi during a press conference on Monday, March 23.
“Words just can’t express how devastated we all are,” Guerin, 55, said. “But as I mentioned to some of you the other night, it doesn’t matter if you’re in the media, if you’re a player, if you’re in management, a coach, we are all in the sports world and the hockey world and we’re all in this together.”
He added, “Jessi was always happy, always in a good mood, always a pleasure to deal with for me, and we’ll miss her. The great thing about our community is it doesn’t matter what part of it you’re in — media, player, coach, manager — we’re all in this together and we support each other.”
