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Five Words NHL Star & Wife Share About Loss of Unborn Son Are Heartbreaking

By Kayla Kunkel March 23, 2018 at 9:40am

National Hockey League star Erik Karlsson and his wife Melinda found out they were expecting a baby in November 2017. They were so excited that they just had to share the news!

“Can’t wait to meet you,” the Ottawa Senators’ captain wrote on his Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

The most exciting news we have ever received arrived earlier this year. Can’t wait to meet you.

A post shared by Erik Karlsson (@erikkarlsson65) on Nov 23, 2017 at 7:16am PST

The excitement continued to build as their due date in mid-April got closer and closer. Fans enjoyed watching their journey as a family unfold on social media.

A month after the initial announcement the couple shared a video of their gender reveal party. In true NHL fashion, Erik hit a puck which released blue smoke revealing that they were going to have a little boy!

Erik jumped up and down in joy and hugged his wife. Their excitement was contagious.

Just a month before their due date, fans noticed Erik’s absence for the game on March 20th against the Florida Panthers. After the game, the Senators’ head coach, Guy Bocher, along with Erik’s teammates broke the news.

Axel Michael Karlsson was stillborn a month before his due date.

At this extremely difficult time it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel but we know one day we’ll get there. We would like to thank everyone for the love and support we have received and also for respecting our privacy and the process we need to go through now. We feel very lucky to be Axels parents. Even though he was stillborn, we know we will hold him again one day under different circumstances and the joy he gave us will be with us forever.

A post shared by Erik Karlsson (@erikkarlsson65) on Mar 21, 2018 at 10:00am PDT

The team then expressed their condolences. They were grieving alongside their teammate and friend.

Fellow teammate Mark Borowiecki said, “It puts perspective on life and what’s going on here. It’s important they take time to grieve and be together. Erik is a huge part of this team, and Erik and Melinda are a huge part of this community and this city. We really are a family in here and it hurts all of us deeply.”

Fans have even rallied behind the NHL player and his wife, showing them support and defending them from online trolls.

I have never seen an NHL player show this much excitement publicly for their child. Condolences to Erik Karlsson and his wife as they lose their son. Truly awful, he is living everyone’s worst nightmare ? pic.twitter.com/PxDfu0BQww

— Teal Kingdom (@TealKingdom) March 20, 2018

Other NHL players and teams are also reaching out in support. The LA Kings tweeted, “The entire LA Kings’ organization is thinking of Erik Karlsson and his family during this time “

Erik posted a statement on Twitter from his wife and him thanking everyone for the support and for the time to grieve together. Five words at the end of their statement are simultaneously heartbreaking and hopeful.

“…we will hold him again.”