“I’m going to marry this girl one day,” thought North Battleford native Colby Cave to himself when he came across Emily’s Instagram page in 2013. Life moved on for the hockey star, who left behind his WHL days to go and suit up for the Bruins and the Oilers in the NHL. But one thing remained the same, and that was his fondness for the girl he saw on social media. Naturally, for Emily Cave, too, it’s impossible to forget about her former husband, despite Colby leaving the mortal plains years ago. And she has something to say….

On April 11, on the former NHL star’s 5th death anniversary, Emily Cave posted on X, remembering the departed ice hockey player. Sharing an image from their wedding day, Cave wrote on social media, “5 years without you. “I will endure a lifetime of missing you for the privilege of loving you, “” and her heaving emotions can hardly be overlooked.

In 2020, Colby passed away at the age of 25 after suffering from a brain bleed in April. After finding the hockey star unresponsive, Emily reached out for help, and Cave was airlifted to Sunnybrook Hospital. There, he underwent emergency brain surgery as the doctors decided to remove the colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain. In the subsequent days, the hockey celebrity spent his time in the ICU, where Emily couldn’t join him because of COVID-19 restrictions. Colby died days later.

The unfortunate event came only a few days before the couple’s first wedding anniversary, and, naturally, the hockey player’s wife was devastated. “It is with great sadness to share the news that our Colby Cave passed away this morning,” Emily’s statement read after the Edmonton Oilers’ forward passed away.

Thankfully, Emily wasn’t alone in her grief. “The National Hockey League family mourns the heartbreaking passing of Colby Cave, whose life and hockey career, though too short, were inspiringly emblematic of the best of our game,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “Colby’s impact on the Swift Current and Southwest Saskatchewan community was immeasurable. Colby’s legacy will live on in the hearts of everyone he inspired,” wrote the Swift Current Broncos, with whom Colby played for four WHL seasons.

“Colby was a terrific teammate with great character, admired & liked everywhere he played.” The Oilers expressed their grief after losing one of their own, while the Bruins also took to social media to note their heartbreak. Emily, too, had to find closure.

In 2023, she published her book, For Colb: The Vow Beyond ‘Til Death Do Us Part. “I really wanted to write something like raw and vulnerable that people can read and know that they’re not alone in their grief, they’re not alone, especially to those that lose during the global pandemic,” the late hockey star’s wife told CTV News Barrie. Thankfully, Emily found it in herself to keep pushing and move on with her life. In June 2024, she remarried and shared images from the ceremony on social media. However, it is apparent that she still fondly remembers her former husband. Ad yet, she’s not the only one having to go through tough times without their loved ones by their sides.

Last year, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Johnny Gaudreau passed at the age of 31. The ice hockey winger and his brother were riding bicycles in New Jersey when they were struck by a car and taken from their loved ones. “Last night, we lost two husbands, two fathers, two sons, two brothers, two sons and brothers-in-law, two nephews, two cousins, two family members, two teammates, two friends but truly two amazing humans,” the family said in an official statement in August. But it’s the community that’s holding everything together.

The hockey community comes together to navigate through troubled times

“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy.” Gaudreau’s hockey team also released a statement noting their sadness. However, while he had to leave the world unexpectedly, Johnny’s national teammates didn’t let his memories fade away. Instead, Brady Tkachuk & Co. made sure the world remembered the late hockey star in style.

At the 4 Nations Face-Off earlier this year, Johnny was paid tribute by Team USA. With a touching tribute during one of the games at the international tournament, the Americans made sure Gaudreau remained a part of the squad even in the afterlife. Brady even noted that the departed star’s hockey jersey still had its place in the USA’s locker room. Naturally, Johnny’s wife Meredith was moved and couldn’t hold back from noting her happiness to see her husband remembered by the American hockey athletes.

Stories like these keep us believing that hope still can be found in the world, should we go look for it. How do you think the hockey community can continue to support each other through such blows to the guts? Tell us in a comment below.