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Colby Cave's widow Emily opens up about her struggles coping with his tragic death from rare tumor: "It was torture"
Former Edmonton Oilers forward Colby Cave died on April 11, 2020, aged 25, after suffering a brain bleed. In a recent chat with Wendy Kaur from Yahoo, Emily Cave Boit opened up about her loss and the hurdles she's faced since her husband's death.
Emily said that the tumor was big and rare and that Colby had it from birth and it was never detected.
"Colby had been born with a rare tumour that was never detected," Emily said. "Unfortunately, that day the tumour shifted. The neurosurgeon told me that with how big it was, he wouldn't have lived long with it. Even if they operated, he said it probably wouldn't have done anything."
Emily was initially overwhelmed, angry and confused. She reviewed "every little detail" of Colby's last days, trying to figure out what she might have missed. This led her to seek help from a therapist, realizing she needed support from someone outside her immediate circle.
"I was also frantic," Emily added. "I went through every little detail thinking, 'What did I miss?' It was the first thing I said when people called. I would say to Colby's teammates, 'Was he OK with you guys? What did I miss?' It was torture and I went through that for so long."
Colby Cave's death was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed his funeral until May 2021. During this time, Colby’s NHL friends suggested Emily consider dating again.
"I hadn't really seen any of Colby's teammates because of the NHL rules," she said. "We went back to one of the teammate's homes and a few of them encouraged me to start dating again. They said, 'We know you miss Caver — we all do. But you gotta get out there when you're ready.'"
Though hesitant, she joined the dating app Raya in December. There, she met Colin, who knew little about hockey.
Emily’s first conversation with Colin lasted over four hours. She talked a lot about Colby Cave, and Colin listened closely. This helped Emily begin to think about the future. When she visited Seattle the next month, she met Colin in person.
Their relationship grew quickly, and Emily made it clear she wanted something long-term. Her close friends and Colby Cave’s former teammates supported this new chapter. However, Emily faced judgment from people outside her inner circle. Despite this, Colby’s NHL friends welcomed Colin and supported their relationship.
Emily Cave Boit would've had her 5th anniversary with Colby Cave this July
On July 20, Emily Cave Boit commemorated her five-year wedding anniversary with Colby Cave. She posted on Instagram with wedding photos and a heartfelt note for Colby.
"Happy Heavenly 5th Wedding Anniversary, Colb," she captioned the post. "You recently came to me in a dream, as well as sent me many signs. You knew I needed them. To hear your laugh again, it gives me chills to think about it.
"Thank you for loving me so well till your dying day, and now from Heaven. I will always be proud to be your wife, and even, tragically, your widow..."
On June 7, Emily Cave Boit began a new chapter in her life by marrying Colin Boit. She also posted about her marriage to the author on her Instagram account.
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