Kristen Hayes has vowed to keep her late husband Jimmy Hayes' memory alive.
On Monday, Aug. 30, friends and family of the late NHL player gathered for his funeral at St. Ann's Church in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. According to People, as attendees approached the church, they were greeted by youth athletes wearing Dorchester Youth Hockey jerseys.
People wrote that during the services, Kristen spoke about her husband's "heart of gold" and the shocking nature of his death at 31. She reflected, "My dearest Jimmy, I cannot believe I am standing here a month after our three-year wedding anniversary. You were simply the best. There's no other way to put it.
"The boys and I were your whole world. Every morning you would wake me up with 'Hi big momma' or 'Big momma looking hot," Kristen remembered. "You said you felt bad that the boys will have the hot mom in the pickup line at school."
The mother of two looked back at their journey to parenthood, sharing that "it was so fun becoming a parent with you."
"I will try my best to fill your shoes, but I know it's nearly impossible," she continued, acknowledging that her life won't be the same without the "little things" that brightened her day. "The sound of your voice … and the high-five at 8 p.m. after the kids were in bed."
Together, the couple shared sons Beau, 2, and Mac, 3 months. She remarked that their oldest already misses their father, sharing that "Beau looks at the background of my phone [with a picture of Jimmy] before he goes to bed and says, 'Goodnight daddy. I love you.'"
Kristen vowed, "You were my soulmate and the best dad to Beau and Mac. I will make sure they know our love story."
The services took place one week after Jimmy was found unresponsive in his and Kristen's Massachusetts home. He was pronounced dead at the scene, with authorities indicating that his death was not considered suspicious.
On Wednesday, Aug. 25, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Medical Examiner's Office said that an autopsy did not conclusively establish how Jimmy died. "OCME has completed an autopsy in this case," read a statement obtained by E! News. "The cause and manner of death remain pending and an update is not expected for several weeks when toxicology testing comes back."
Prior to his sudden death, Jimmy celebrated his son Beau's 2nd birthday. He and Kristen marked the occasion by taking a series of family photos, which Kristen said were their "last photos of a family of four."