#SticksOutForJessi Wild Fans in Salt Lake City! Thinking about all of Jessi's family and friends. Hugging my 13 year old hockey player a little tighter tonight. RIP
There are no words to express how heartbroken we all are.
Jessi Pierce (Hinrichs) was the most vibrant person - the life of the party, always with a smile on her face, always bringing a passion to every article and podcast and interview she did. Jessi simply loved covering the Wild and hockey throughout Minnesota and had a way of brightening everyoneโs day with her upbeat, bubbly personality. I have literally NEVER met anybody that had a way of being EVERYBODYโs friend.
More than anything, she absolutely loved Hudson, Cayden and Avery and was the greatest mother who did everything she could to bring joy to her sweetest kids. Even at Fridayโs practice in her beloved Iowa State sweatshirt, she was so excited to take them to the seasonal opening of Cup and Cone in WBL. Seeing those precious pics yesterday, she provided them with another incredibly fun and loving day.
My heart breaks for Mike for the loss of his wife and children and Jessiโs family, friends and colleagues for this unimaginable loss. This hockey community lost a wonderful, energetic and one of a kind voice and story teller and Grade A person.
Life can be unbearably unfair sometimes, and itโs impossible to make sense of this tragedy.
Please keep Jessi and her beautiful kids in your thoughts and prayers. I wish Mike all the peace and support and happiness in the world.
A lot of tears were shed at the arena yesterday. We, in the Wild media and inside the Wild, will miss seeing Jessi everyday, laughing with her everyday. The press box and press room wonโt be the same without her. Itโll be a lot quieter, a lot less funny. But her passion and joy for covering this hockey team and sport will remain.
Sorry for the length of this, but as Jessi knew better than most as my original Athletic โbackupโ and somebody who always gave me Minnesota Hockey Journal deadline extensions, as she used to joke, Iโm incapable of writing tight.
Especially about her.
RIP Jessi, Hudson, Cayden and Avery. ๐๐