Beloved Sports Reporter Jessi Pierce and Her Children Were Found Dead — Here's What We Know

Beloved NHL reporter Jessi Pierce was a correspondent for the Minnesota Wild for the past decade. She and her three children were found deceased in their home on the morning of Saturday, March 21, 2026. Pierce was 37, and her children, Hudson, Cayden, and Avery, were 8, 6, and 4, respectively. Their family dog was also found deceased at the site.

Pierce and her children are survived by Jessi's husband, Mike Hinrichs, who was reportedly away for work when the tragedy occurred. Here's what we know about what happened to Pierce and her children.

Pierce and her kids' lives were reportedly cut short during the early morning hours of Saturday, March 21, 2026. Neighbors called 9-1-1 when they saw flames coming from the roof of Pierce's house in White Bear Lake, Minn., per The Guardian. Firefighters found the deceased bodies of an adult, three children, and a dog inside the home. The house was "completely engulfed in flames" when the firefighters arrived, according to the California Post.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office will lead the investigation into the start of the fire, according to Fox 9.

A GoFundMe was started to help Pierce's surviving husband, Mike Hinrichs, with funeral costs and to "provide financial support for the family during this period of grief." As of Monday, March 23, the page has accumulated almost $115,000, which is 83 percent of the $140,000 goal.

Jessi formed connections with players and fans alike. Bill Price, the Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of NHL.com, said in a statement, "The entire NHL.com team is devastated and heartbroken by the loss of Jessi and her children ... Jessi’s love of her family and hockey was evident in the energy and passion she brought to her work for us. She was an absolute joy to talk to and work with. She will be deeply missed."

"She was a hockey luminary. She touched so many people in hockey and had a way of making people feel better, whether it was me or the athletes," said Danny Hendrickson of the Hendrickson Foundation, per The Athletic. Hendrickson said that Pierce eagerly showed her support for the organization by playing sled hockey or agreeing to be an honorary coach.

Wild's emergency goaltender Connor Beaupre reflected on his impression of Pierce, who sat next to him during home games. "I think she’d be speechless at how big a legacy she left behind," he said, adding, "She was always so grateful that she got to work the jobs she did, even the tiniest one-off stories that sometimes didn’t pay anything, but she put everything she had into them."

Friends and fans alike showed love and support for Pierce and her family on social media.