Former Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes has written an emotional tribute to his late brother, Jimmy.
Kevin wrote the story for The Players Tribune. The story was published today, the two-year anniversary of Jimmy’s death.
Jimmy Hayes died suddenly in August 2021, at the age of 31.
“Everyone has seen the headlines,” Kevin wrote. “There’s no running from it. Two years ago, my brother died from an accidental overdose of cocaine and fentanyl.”
“I hope getting Jimmy’s story out there can save someone’s life,” Hayes’ father, Kevin, told the Boston Globe in 2021. “If this can save someone from the pain, great. It’s just so sad.”
Brotherly Love
Kevin Hayes’ tribute is deeply moving, with heart-warming and heart-breaking anecdotes about his big brother. Kevin and Jimmy, who was three years older, played together at Boston College.
You can feel the brotherly love and the Hayes’ tight-knit family in Kevin’s writing. The Hayeses are from Dorcester, a neighborhood in Boston.
“When Jimmy hung up his skates in 2019, he made the seamless transition into being my No. 1 fan,” Kevin wrote.
“I used to FaceTime him from the parking lot after every one of my games for his postgame analysis. No matter how well I played or how terrible, he’d always tell me that I was the best player on the ice.”
Jimmy Hayes played 334 games over seven years in the NHL. He played for the Blackhawks, Panthers, Bruins and Devils. His childhood dream was to play for the Bruins, which he did in 2015. He played two seasons in Boston.
Jimmy Hayes helped Boston College win a national championship in 2010 as a sophomore.
Kevin Hayes was traded by the Flyers this offseason to the Blues. Kevin has played nine years in the NHL, the last four with Philadelphia.
“We weren’t the best players in the NHL, no matter what my sisters say,” Kevin wrote. “But we were local heroes, and that was better than anything.”
You can read Kevin Hayes’ story by clicking here.
More must-reads: