The Minnesota Wild, Frost, and the entire hockey community lost a valued member when Jessi Pierce passed away in a house fire early Saturday morning, Mar. 21. Her three children and their family dog also passed. After the news was confirmed later Sunday, the tributes started pouring in from all over social media. While it was clear she had a large following, no one expected to see the vast number of tributes from all over the country.
Even the GoFundMe that was created to help her husband surpassed its goal numerous times and continues to climb. The amount of support everyone has shown truly shows how loved and adored she was. In this article, we’ll look at how she covered the game, how she helped the community, and more behind-the-scenes stories.
Pierce Was a Fun Professional
By now, if you’ve read anything about Jessi, you know she always had a beaming smile when covering the game. Whether it was a 9 am training camp day, 10 am morning skate, noon practice, 8:42 pm puck drop, or 2 pm exit interviews, she was always smiling. The 8:42 pm puck drop did get a few complaints since she liked to get up early for her gym routine and getting her kids to school.
If it was a 5-0 win over the Utah Mammoth or a crushing 6-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, she covered the game with a smile. She asked the tough questions and found a way to get strong-worded answers instead of a simple yes or no. Players were willing to talk to her, and she worked hard to get to where she was and keep her spot.
“…Yeah, just a great woman, obviously a person that was a huge fan of us, and the Wild and loved this team and this organization and covering it, just loved hockey and the community that hockey provides…,” Marcus Foligno said to the media after practice when asked about the impact Jessi had.
Pierce Loved Helping Others
A lot of what you’re reading may sound the same, but that’s because of the true impact Jessi had. She always had a smile on her face, and she always loved to help others, especially if it had to do with hockey. From the DinoMights organization to the Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame to the Hendrickson Foundation, and everything in between, chances are, if someone asked for help, she said yes.
Whether it was helping someone find their way to the locker room after a game or running to host a local event, Jessi was there. She covered countless local events and did what she could to grow the game of hockey. If she could find a way to bring in more people to the game, she did just that, and the game was better because of her.
“Like, if you ever met her, you just could feel the energy around her,…I said every time she was in here she had a smile on her face and whether it was talking about the game at hand or just youth sports or still remember when she would bring the kids into the dressing room doing interviews holding [th]em so like I said it’s very hard news to take,” said Jared Spurgeon to the media after practice when asked about all the tributes pouring in.
Pierce Behind the Scenes
As a credentialed member for both the Wild and the Frost, I got to see behind the scenes with Jessi, and all the good you’ve read about her is 100 percent true. From the first time I met her to the final day I saw her, she was the same kind person, she was so fun, and she knew everyone. For those who’ve never been in the Grand Casino Arena pressbox, it’s cold and not just hey, it’s a hockey arena cold, but like freezing cold to the point it’s hard to type at times.
Jessi gave us fellow writers the idea to bring in small blankets to keep warm, and while she often wore heels that she loved to document, she also brought slippers to wear when the game was done. She always had the cutest outfits and was never afraid to tell someone she liked their outfit, and encouraged others to show their style, and part of her style was having a Celsius can in her hand.
She made sure everyone was included, whether it was going for photoshoots around the arena or going to grab a hot dog. If she went on an adventure, she’d invite anyone along who could go. If the postgame scrum was crowded and you couldn’t get close, she’d grab your recorder and make sure it was front and center. She made sure you weren’t forgotten, no matter what, and whether it was going down to Tom Reid’s for lunch after practice or going for a walk during a break at the World Junior Championship, you were included.
I was fortunate enough to spend time with Jessi in and out of the pressbox, and she made me a better person for it. She helped me with my confidence and being willing to push outside my comfort zone. There truly was no one like her, and she’s going to be missed more than anyone could imagine.
Pierce was “One Call Away”
I heard the song “One Call Away” by Charlie Puth today, and immediately thought of Jessi. She truly was the person who fit that lyric, “I’m only one call away, I’ll be there to save the day.” Whether it was to vent about the Wild or talk about our personal lives, she was always there. Now that she’s gone, she leaves behind a big void.
A few weeks ago, I was able to speak with Marcus Foligno about losing his mother, and one of the things he talked about really fits this scenario, and that’s how time truly doesn’t heal, despite everyone trying to say it does.
“I mean, time will never, time, they say time heals things, but it really doesn’t, and I think just being around family and being, talking about them and bringing them up in conversation to make them feel like they’re still in the room is the best way of coping with it,” Foligno had said when asked how he deals with the grief as he gets older and the same can be said about how Jessi and her kids will be missed.
Related: Wild Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines – Jessi Pierce Impact & Newcomers Leaving Impression
“…you know, we don’t know why things happen to good people like that, but maybe the Lord needs them more than we do down here, and that’s what, lean into your faith and pray for the family at this time,” Foligno continued to the media after practice when asked about the tributes for Jessi.
Losing a mom or a friend like Jessi means the world’s a little darker and your heart is a bit heavier, but knowing that if this had to happen, she’s watching out for us. If everyone tried to live a little bit like her, the world would be brighter, and hearts would be lighter.
