Heartbreaking loss leaves Ducks family devastated and hockey world mourning

This is not a hockey-development story. It is not about a lineup card, a playoff race, or a late-season roster move.

It is about a man who clearly mattered to people every single day inside that building. And the reaction from Anaheim says that part without forcing it.

The Ducks announced the death of Honda Center public safety officer Paulo Kome and described him as beloved. They also said he spent nearly 25 years at Honda Center.

That length of time matters. People do not stay woven into one building that long without becoming part of its daily heartbeat.

Anaheim's statement said Kome lived and breathed his family, friends, Ducks hockey, and the many colleagues, guests, and patrons he interacted with over the years.

Then Ryan Strome made it even more personal. His message was not formal. It was grief from someone who clearly saw Kome as part of the room.

Strome wrote that Pauly greeted everyone with either a hug, knuckles, or a handshake every single day. That is the detail that changes this from sad news into something much heavier.

It tells you what kind of presence Kome carried. He was not just somebody working in the background. He was one of the people who made the place feel warm and familiar.

Strome's next line hit even harder. He said he wished he could hear Kome say, “I love you brotha!” one more time.

That is not the kind of thing players say about someone they barely knew. That is how they talk about somebody who made an impact far beyond his job description.

The two photos sharpen that feeling. In one, Kome is dressed sharply and smiling with the look of someone proud to be part of the organization. In the other, he is holding a baby, and the whole image feels gentle and grounded.

That contrast says a lot. Paulo Kome was clearly remembered not only for what he did at Honda Center, but for who he was away from it too.

For the Ducks, this is the sort of loss that lingers through a room. Staff members like this help shape the tone of a franchise in ways fans often never fully see.