The family of late NHL player Jimmy Hayes has shared that when he died there was fentanyl and cocaine found in his system.
The medical examiner concluded that his cause of death was acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine. His manner of death was determined to be accidental.
The 31-year-old was pronounced dead by first responders at his Massachusetts home on August 23, just one day before his untimely death Jimmy celebrated his son’s second birthday surrounded by family and friends.
His widow Kristen Hayes spoke to The Boston Globe on Sunday after getting the toxicology report from the Massachusetts state medical examiner on Friday.
“I was completely shocked,” she told the publication. “I was so certain that it had nothing to do with drugs. I really thought it was a heart attack or anything that wasn’t that [drugs].” It didn’t make any sense, so it was hard. I was hoping to get a different phone call when they called. I was hoping to get some clarity and I was shocked to hear that it was that … He never showed any signs of a struggle at home.”
Jimmy’s father Kevin Senior was also surprised by his late son’s cause of death and told the Boston Globe that the hockey player previous had a problem with pills when he was playing professionally.
“I’m an addict myself. I’m sober a long, long time, but I know how powerful this stuff is. I was in shock when it happened, but then I started putting stuff together in my head,” his father Kevin Sr. told the outlet, adding that his son “made a terrible mistake and it cost him his life.”
Just days after his passing, his wife Kristen took to her Instagram to pay tribute to her late husband and father of her two kids.
“My angel I love you so much,” Kristen wrote on her Instagram Story alongside a sweet pic of her husband holding their two sons, now 5-month-old Mac and 2-year-old Beau.
“I miss you. I don’t know how I’m going to do life without you,” the grieving widow added.
Jimmy’s brother Kevin Hayes also wrote a heart aching post on Instagram after losing his “Best friend.”
Writing in part, “Yesterday I lost my best friend, my brother. My whole life it has always been Jimmy and Kevin or the Hayes brothers. I have followed you around since I can remember and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Jimmy last played professional hockey in 2019… he spent two seasons with the Bruins and also played with the Florida Panthers, The New Jersey Devils and the Chicago Blackhawks during his NHL career. Jimmy also won a NCAA championship at Boston College.