Beloved hockey reporter Jessi Pierce shared adorable photos of her three children on their final outing before their tragic deaths.
Pierce, 37, and her children Hudson, Cayden and Avery were declared dead Saturday after a fire engulfed their home in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
On Friday, one day before their deaths, she shared two snaps to X, featuring her children enjoying a day out.
The trio were captured tucking into ice cream cones from the Cup and Cone, a local family-owned ice cream stand. In another photo, one of her sons was treated to a sandwich.
‘bag(s) secured,’ she playfully captioned the post.
In an earlier post, Pierce had shared a photo of the line winding down the sidewalk for the local landmark’s 53rd opening day, as her children patiently waited.
Jessi Pierce shared adorable photos of her three children on a final outing before their deaths
Pierce and her children Hudson, Cayden and Avery were declared dead after a house fire
Pierce was a beloved reporter covering the NHL’s Minnesota Wild for several media outlets. Pierce and her children are survived by her husband and their father, Mike Hinrichs.
The fire department responded to a 911 call in White Bear Lake just before 5:30am Saturday from Pierce’s neighbors, who saw flames coming through the roof and said there were likely people inside.
It is believed they found a ‘fully involved structure fire’ upon arrival. A deceased dog was also discovered at the scene as well as a deceased adult and three deceased children.
An investigation into the fire is ongoing, White Bear Lake police chief Greg Peterson told the Daily Mail in an email. Additional information will be provided when the department deems it appropriate.
‘Our hearts ache for those involved in this tragedy,’ White Bear Lake Fire Chief Greg Peterson said in a statement. ‘We ask for the opportunity to allow our community to come together and support one another during this difficult time.’
Tributes to the late NHL reporter poured in after the heartbreaking news broke, with the league leading the touching messages.
‘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,’ the NHL said.
‘Jessi loved our game and was a valued member of the NHL.com team for a decade. We will miss her terribly.’
Pierce shared images of her children enjoying a day out at ‘Cup and Cone’ on Friday
Pierce had shared a photo of the line for the local landmark’s 53rd opening day
On Sunday, Pierce was remembered by NHL.com editor-in-chief Bill Price as an ‘absolute joy to work with.’
‘The entire NHL.com team is devastated and heartbroken by the loss of Jessi and her children,’ he said. ‘Jessi’s love of her family and hockey was evident in the energy and passion she brought to her work for us. She will be deeply missed.’
Jackie Redmond, who covers the NHL for TNT, called Pierce a ‘clear talent’ and an ‘undeniably wonderful human being.’
Meanwhile, a fundraiser has been launched to benefit her surviving husband, Mike Hinrichs, who was reportedly away from home for work at the time of the fire.
As of Sunday evening, a GoFundMe page had raised nearly $22,000 of the $50,000 donation goal for Jessi’s surviving husband, Mike Hinrichs.
The hockey writer covered the Minnesota Wild for NHL.com for the last decade and spent time working for the team, while she previously wrote for The Athletic.
A GoFundMe drive has been launched to benefit Mike Hinrichs, Jessi’s surviving husband
She also wrote for USA Hockey, the Minnesota Hockey Journal and Massachusetts Hockey among other publications.
‘The Minnesota Wild organization is heartbroken by the tragic loss of Jessi Pierce and her children,’ the Wild said in a statement.
‘Jessi was a kind, compassionate person that cared deeply about her family and those around her. 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.’
