You never really know if a star will show up in your life, let alone have a lasting impact. They could be a coworker, a member of the community, or just someone random who could be walking down the street. For Jeff Pierson, that person was his billet brother from the 80's: NHL's Alan May.
"After all these years, and now we're older [...], I refer to him as my big brother. You know, we're super close. And it's just unreal that all these years later, well over 40, that we're still close. Now, he has grown children that I've got to know. So, it's just a really cool story and like I say, I'm super grateful."
Alan May had four stints with the Estevan Bruins, and the Pierson family was his billet family during his run. Jeff noted that he and May were instant friends and both families got close fast. "Our family would go out to Alan's family home in Edmonton to visit and take an Oilers games together. It was just something that gelled almost immediately and like they say, the relationship to both my late parents had with Alan's parents blossomed. Both families just spend a good part of their lives being friends."
"I don't think many people are lucky enough to say billet an Estevan Bruin or junior hockey player and watch them, you know, work their way through the ranks, so to speak, and make it to the NHL." -Jeff Pierson on growing up with Alan May
Growing up with May, Pierson shared that he's taken him in as his big billet brother. To this day, he still thinks of the former NHL player as his big brother and has made their relationship even stronger. Pierson said that every summer, their families spend time at a cabin in Minnesota. He's proud to have seen May grow up not just as a hockey player, but also an adult. "It's funny, at the time it's someone that me and my brother really looked up to. [I'm] super thankful that our relationship stayed intact, to the point where, you know, as a young adult, we went to his wedding a number of years ago."
The Piersons continue their long tradition of supporting local sports in the city. Jeff himself has offered his home as a billet for new hockey players in the past. He offered some reassurance for people considering becoming a billet home.
"When you're initially thinking about or even starting it, as a billet, I think more times than not that person becomes part of your family. Whether that's for short-term or multiple years, it's just incredible what it can lead to. Like, I'm a perfect example. I still got contact with Alan and another guy that lived with my family in the early 80s. It's pretty crazy what can come out of it."