Jessi Pierce’s husband, Mike Hinrichs, is asking for privacy while he grieves the loss of his wife and their three children following a tragic house fire Saturday in Minnesota.
“We have been in close contact with Mike to support him, his family and his friends,” the White Bear Lake fire department said in a statement Wednesday. “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.”
The fire department confirmed Wednesday what had been widely reported that Pierce, 38, and the couple’s three children — 8-year-old Hudson Hinrichs, 6-year-old Cayden Hinrichs and 4-year-old Avery Hinrichs — all died in the early-morning fire in White Bear Lake, Minn.
Mike was not present at the time of the fire since he was out of town for business, per The Athletic.
A GoFundMe has since been created to aid Mike, with more than $213,000 raised with a goal of $250,000, as of Thursday morning.
“Jessi had a larger-than-life personality and an even bigger heart. She was devoted to her family, going above and beyond to create many moments of joy and everlasting memories,” the page read. “The children, each with their own unique personalities, shared Jessi’s zest for life and love for adventure.
“They leave behind Mike, husband to Jessi and loving father of their children, who is now experiencing an unimaginably difficult time. We are raising funds to cover funeral expenses and to provide financial support for the family during this period of grief.”
The White Bear Lake fire department previously said it received a call from neighbors at 5:26 a.m. Saturday regarding a fire at a single-family home on Richard Avenue.
Said neighbors had seen fire coming from the roof and told the police they believed there were people inside.
The fire department said Monday it had ruled out arson and was investigating the cause.
“We are in the very early stages of the investigation, and our preliminary findings have not led to the any evidence that the fire was set intentionally,” it said in a release. “Our priorities are, first and foremost, being present for those directly affected by this tragedy, conducting a thorough investigation, and ensuring our first responders involved in this incident heal alongside the community.”
Pierce built a following as a Wild reporter for NHL.com for the past 10 seasons, in addition to other ventures covering the NHL.
She co-hosted a podcast, “Bardown Beauties,” with Wild in-game host Kirsten Krull, who tweeted Monday that she will honor her late friend by keeping the notification on her phone for the sessions.
“Logging onto my computer, sitting at my desk with my microphone where we recorded was another hard thing I haven’t yet done but have to continue to do. I know me and so many others are feeling this, it’s cruel that the world doesn’t stop when terrible things happen even when we desperately beg for it to,” Krull wrote Monday. “The world keeps moving even when we feel like we can’t. All we can do is continue to try to move forward the best we can. My heart hurts for everyone today just doing their best to make it through the day.
“But for as long as I can, I’ll keep my Monday podcast record notifications on because it reminds me of how much special time I was able to share with Jessi weekly.”
The Wild and other figures from the hockey world provided touching remarks about Pierce.
“The Minnesota Wild organization is heartbroken by the tragic loss of Jessi Pierce and her children,” the team said in a release. “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.”
