On Thursday Aug. 29, Columbus Blue Jackets player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau were hit by a car at about 8 p.m. as the two rode their bikes in New Jersey. Both were killed due to fatal injuries caused by the drunk driver. The two were supposed to be groomsmen in their sister’s wedding last weekend.

Gaudreau, 31, was a popular NHL player who was known for his speed. He has won multiple awards such as the Lady Byng in 2017. He had 743 career points in the 11 years he played.

 But he was also a husband, brother and father. Meredith Gaudreau, his wife, spoke out on Instagram. 

“Thank you for the best years of my life. Despite losing you, I am still the luckiest girl in the world to have been yours,” M.Gaudreau said, in a later post she said “absolute best dad in the world.”

Gaudreau left behind his daughter and son, but M. Gaudreau discussed the amount of love he had for his children.

Matthew G. was another lover of hockey. After college Matthew returned to his high school in New Jersey to be the ice hockey coach. 

“Johnny and Matt were incredible hockey players and students, but even more amazing human beings,” Principal Thomas Lacovene Jr. said. 

The two brothers impacted people everywhere they went, from their home high school to Columbus to their former teammates. What the two brothers did for the people around them will not be forgotten.

A Go-Fund-Me fundraiser to support Matthew G.’s wife, who is pregnant with their first child, has been started and as of Aug. 31 has raised $365,666. Josh Furlong, a donator, shared his connection to the Gaudreau’s. 

“Johnny and Matty were heroes to us young hockey players in southern NJ, especially from Hollydell,” Furlong said. “[They were] just wonderful souls on and off the ice. We will never forget John and Matthew Gaudreau!” 

To support the family vist the Go-Fund-Me link provided: https://gofund.me/e6b42e17