Savannah Chrisley pays tribute to ex-fiancé Nic Kerdiles following his death at 29 in motorcycle accident: ‘You’ll be missed and you left a mark’

Savannah Chrisley opened up about the death of her former fiancé Nic Kerdiles on her podcast, saying she is “mourning the loss of someone who meant the absolute world to her.”

The Chrisley Knows Best personality, 26, on her Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley Podcast released Tuesday, addressed the former NHL player’s death at age 29 in a motorcycle accident Sept. 23 in Nashville.

Chrisley opened the show with an on-screen image and a voiceover about how the episode – in which she talked about boyfriend Robert Shiver – was filmed weeks before Kerdiles’ death.

“This episode you’re about to hear was filmed weeks and weeks ago, and it’s just now airing, but it was filmed before Nic Kerdiles passed away,” Chrisley said. ‘In this episode I do mention my current relationship.’

Chrisley said she chose not to air the podcast last week out of respect for Kerdiles, his family and “just everyone involved and everyone who is hurting right now because of his passing.”

She said of the podcast’s content: “I do talk about my current relationship, but I’m also still grieving the loss of someone who meant the absolute world to me.”

Chrisley in the voiceover said that Kerdiles “had a huge impact on (her) life and left such a mark on this world.”

Chrisley continued, “I can’t tell you how many people have reached out and told me stories about how Nic has impacted their lives.”

“If his passing teaches us anything, I think it is to love and love hard. And to treat people with so much love and kindness, because that’s exactly what he did. So Nic, I love you, you will be missed and you left a mark.”

Chrisley made her first public comments following his tragic death the day it happened.

Chrisley, who appeared on USA Network’s reality TV show Chrisley Knows Best, took to her Instagram Story to pay tribute to her ex-fiancé.

In her first post, she captioned a boomerang video of the couple kissing by saying, “Still hoping you reply to my text…”

Then, in her second post, she uploaded a photo of the two holding hands and smiling as they walked along a beach and wrote, “Heaven got the most beautiful angel today… I miss you and I love you…

“I’ll keep our last ‘I love you’ messages forever… Please send me a sign that you’re doing well… Maybe it’s through a ham and cheese crepe… or pasta with white sauce. ..or maybe even your favorite carrot cake.

“We loved very much… and I can’t wait to ride along the beaches of heaven with you one day.”

Kerdiles was driving through a stop sign in a residential neighborhood in Nashville around 3:30 a.m. when he struck the driver’s side of a BMW, Metropolitan Nashville police said. WRKN News 2.

Kerdiles was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he died; The other driver in the crash was not injured, police said.

In a statement released Saturday afternoon, the Anaheim Ducks said, “We are heartbroken to hear the news of Nic Kerdiles, who died in a motorcycle accident this morning.

‘Nic, an Irvine native, became the first player from Orange County to play for the Ducks in 2017. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to his family and loved ones.”

In 2012, the Anaheim Ducks drafted Kerdiles in the second round with the 36th overall pick. He then attended the University of Wisconsin for two seasons, where he scored 26 goals and 45 assists for 71 points in 60 collegiate games.

After those two seasons, he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Ducks in 2014. He debuted for Anaheim’s AHL minor league affiliate – the Norfolk Admirals – in the 2014 Calder Cup playoffs. He would go on to play for the San Diego Gulls when they became the Ducks’ new affiliate.

After playing three seasons in the minors, Kerdiles made his NHL debut on February 22, 2017 against the Boston Bruins.

Kerdiles returned to the Gulls and played eight games in their short-lived Calder Cup Playoff campaign.

But the Ducks recalled him for four exciting games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was on the ice in Games 5 and 6 in the second round of the Western Conference against the Edmonton Oilers, a series that Anaheim would eventually win.

Kerdiles’ next two games came in the Western Conference Finals against the Nashville Predators. After drawing a blank in Game 5 of that series, he scored his first and only NHL point in Game 6.

His pass behind the net to teammate Chris Wagner cut Nashville’s lead to 3-2. But Nashville would win that game to eliminate Anaheim and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Kerdiles would return to play in the NHL for two games the following season after signing a one-year extension.

Unfortunately, he failed to make enough of an impact to stay on the team and played his last game with Anaheim on October 15, 2017 against the Buffalo Sabres.

He was traded to the Winnipeg Jets on June 30, 2018. Although he made three appearances for their AHL team – the Manitoba Moose – he never played in the NHL again.

Kerdiles finished his NHL career with seven appearances in the regular season and the playoffs, recording one point.

In the AHL, he scored 47 goals and 60 assists for 107 regular season points in 181 regular season games.

He also had seven goals and five assists for 12 points in 18 AHL Playoff appearances.