NHL legend Claude Lemieux’s death certificate has been released, shedding more light on the aftermath of his death by suicide at age 60.
A document obtained by TMZ from Florida’s Bureau of Vital Statistics confirmed that Lemieux was found dead at a “place of business” on Thursday, May 28, in Lake Park, Florida. (Prior reporting clarified that one of Lemieux’s adult sons found him dead in a rear warehouse at the Andros Home showroom in West Palm Beach County.)
Lemieux’s body was initially taken to a Stuart, Florida, funeral home before it was transferred to Henson Chapel Cemetery in Vilas, North Carolina.
A Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson confirmed to Us Weekly at the time that officers on the scene at the warehouse determined that Lemieux died by suicide.
“The business was secured for evidence preservation/investigation by VCD Homicide,” a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson confirmed. “The victim is believed to be Claude Lemieux.”
The news of Lemieux’s death shocked the sports world, as he’d served as a torchbearer at the NHL’s Eastern Conference Finals between the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes in Montreal on Monday, May 25.
In the wake of Claude’s death, his four adult children —sons Christopher, Michael and Brendan as well as daughter Claudia — released a collective statement to celebrate their father’s life and incredible legacy in the NHL. (Claude was a four-time Stanley Cup champion and won the prestigious Conn Smythe Trophy in 1995.)
The Lemieux children and their mother, Deborah Lemieux, confirmed on Saturday, May 30, that they plan to donate the athlete’s brain “as a gift to science” for research into the neurodegenerative disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). (Per the Mayo Clinic, CTE is a brain disease linked to repeated head trauma. It is most commonly linked to athletes and combat veterans.)
Claude Lemieux Getty Images/Al Bello/Allsport
The family shared that Claude’s brain would go to the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center for a study of “the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injury.”
“Claude dedicated his post-play career to helping the next generation,” his family said on Saturday. “By allowing his name to be connected to this research, we hope his life can contribute to greater understanding, more honest conversations, and better protection for athletes and families in the years ahead.”
The Lemieux family also cautioned the public to avoid speculating about the “circumstances of Claude’s death.”
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman met with the media before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Tuesday, June 2, using the time to pay tribute to former player Claude Lemieux and reporter Jessi Pierce. “It’s appropriate to reflect on the people we’ve lost — those who thrilled us, and those who contributed to building […]
“Suicide is complex, and the family asks media and the public to discuss this loss with care, compassion and respect for those who lost him,” they asked.
In his final years, Claude worked as a sports agent to NHL stars such as Timo Meier, Frederik Andersen, Moritz Seider, Hampus Lindholm and Rasmus Andersson. NHL insider Pierre LeBrun indicated via a tweet on Sunday, May 31, that Claude hoped to become more active in professional hockey again, including potentially “run[ning] a team one day” as a general manager.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
