WASHINGTON — Former hockey player Nic Kerdiles, who was engaged to "Chrisley Knows Best" star Savannah Chrisley, died on Saturday after a motorcycle crash. He was 29.
The one-time hockey player for the Anaheim Ducks drove his motorcycle through a stop sign early Saturday and hit the driver's side of an SUV, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department. The SUV's driver immediately stopped, and there were no signs of impairment in either driver, police added.
Kerdiles died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Police don't anticipate any charges in the crash.
Chrisley and Kerdiles began dating in 2017 and were engaged until 2020, according to People. She paid tribute to her ex-fiancé on Instagram late Saturday.
The 26-year-old reality TV star shared a boomerang of her and Kerdiles sharing a kiss with the caption "I'm still hoping you respond to my text."
She later posted a heartfelt message on her Instagram story with another photo of her and Kerdiles.
"Heaven gained the most beautiful angel today… I miss and love you. I’ll forever save our last messages of ‘I love you,’” Chrisley wrote on her Instagram Story. "“Please send me a sign that you’re ok… maybe it’ll be thru a ham and cheese crepe.. Or pasta with white sauce… or maybe even your favorite carrot cake.”
“We loved hard…and I can’t wait to ride bikes along the beaches of heaven with you one day,” Chrisley continued.
Kerdiles played for the Anaheim Ducks from 2014 to 2017 before being drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 2018, according to People. The team paid tribute to the former professional hockey player on Saturday.
"We’re heartbroken to hear the news about Nic Kerdiles, who died in a motorcycle accident this morning. An Irvine native, Nic became the first player from Orange County to play for the Ducks, in 2017. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to his family and loved ones," the team said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
USA Hockey, the national governing body for the sport, posted on social media that it was “heartbroken” to hear about Kerdiles' death. The organization noted that Kerdiles helped Team USA's under-18 squad win two gold medals at the International Ice Hockey Federation's U18 World Championship.
He played in college for the University of Wisconsin, whose hockey program also mourned Kerdiles on social media, posting about his "great spirit as part of our Badger family."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
