NHL Player Brett Berard Lives in Conn. Basement Below a Family of New York Rangers Superfans. He Says It’s ‘Literally Perfect’
NHL Player Brett Berard Lives in Conn. Basement Below a Family of New York Rangers Superfans. He Says It’s ‘Literally Perfect’
New York Rangers forward Brett Berard’s living arrangements may surprise you.
The 22-year-old NHL player recently took The Wall Street Journal inside his offseason home in Darien, Conn., where he lives in the basement below a family of six who are huge fans of the Rangers.
During the NHL’s offseason, Berard lives with the Fiorita family, whom he connected with because his best friend Petey Alofsin was fraternity brothers with the eldest Fiorita son. Berard told Alofsin he was planning to train during the offseason in Fairfield County, Conn., where Darien is located.
Despite being in the final season of his three-year entry-level contract with the Rangers, Berard said his arrangement with the Fiorita family — whom he joins for neighborhood strolls with their minidoodle and basketball games in the driveway — is “literally perfect.”
Berard, who rents and lives in an apartment in Hartford, Conn., during the NHL season, said, “I could rent somewhere, but this opportunity came up.” He added, “I save money on rent.”
Now that Berard has spent so much time with the Fioritas, Missy said he’s considered family.
“We were all on pins and needles, but as soon as he walked in the door, it was like, ‘I’m not welcoming this kid into my home for X amount of time. I’m welcoming him to being part of our family,” she said.
