NHL reporter Jessi Pierce and her 3 children dead after fatal fire in her Minnesota town
NHL Reporter Jessi Pierce and Her Three Children Pass Away in Minnesota Fire Tragedy
A house fire in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, claimed the lives of NHL reporter Jessi Pierce and her three children on Saturday. The National Hockey League announced the loss of Pierce and her three young children on Sunday, expressing their condolences to the family. “The entire NHL family sends our prayers and deepest condolences to the Pierce family on the passing of Jessi Pierce and her three young children,” the league stated in a message on X.
“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 league said in a statement on X.
Firefighters from White Bear Lake responded to a call about flames emerging from the roof, arriving to find a fully engulfed structure. Fire Chief Greg Peterson confirmed that Pierce, whose professional name was Jessi Pierce and married name was Hinrichs, was among the victims. The other casualties were identified as her children: Hudson Hinrichs, 8; Cayden Hinrichs, 6; and Avery Hinrichs, 4.
“The official cause and further information will be released once the investigation is complete,” said Peterson, adding that the four victims will “forever be loved and remembered by their husband and father, Mike Hinrichs, and the White Bear Lake and Mahtomedi communities.”
A GoFundMe page, verified by NBC News, highlighted Pierce’s dedication to her family, noting her “devotion to her family, going above and beyond to create many moments of joy and everlasting memories.” It also praised her children for “sharing Jessi’s zest for life and love for adventure.”
Pierce contributed to NHL.com for a decade, covering the Minnesota Wild, her hometown team. The website described her as “a fixture on the area’s sports scene,” recalling her presence at Grand Casino Arena, often “cloaked in a blanket to combat the cold in the press box.” The obituary emphasized her passion as a mother, stating that she was “intensely proud” of her family and “sometimes showed up to a Wild practice with one of her young children on her hip, melding family and work into a modern-day package.”
“She served as a dedicated ambassador for the game of hockey during her time covering the Wild and the NHL,” said the Minnesota Wild, adding that “Jessi and her children will be greatly missed.”
Michael Russo, a reporter for The Athletic, shared the emotional impact of the tragedy, writing on X that “a lot of tears were shed at the arena yesterday” during the 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, noting that “the press box and press room won’t be the same without her.”
Isabel Yip, a news associate for NBC News, and Joe Kottke, an assignment editor covering domestic news, including politics, immigration, crime, entertainment, and severe weather, contributed to the reporting of this incident.
