Gaudreau brothers to be honored by family, friends and grieving hockey teammates at funeral

MEDIA, Pa. — Columbus Blue Jackets players and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman are among those expected to attend a memorial service for John and Matthew Gaudreau, the siblings who were killed when they were struck by a suspected drunk driver while riding their bicycles in their home state of New Jersey.

A memorial service for the Gaudreau brothers is scheduled for noon Monday at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Media, Pa. John, a Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets all-star known as “Johnny Hockey,” and Matthew, who played college hockey with his brother at Boston College, died the day before their sister’s wedding.

Countless members of the hockey community from Columbus to South Jersey to Boston College, where Gaudreau played, are expected to join family and friends at the funeral. John was 31, Matthew 29.

The brothers were mourned across the sports world, including in Columbus, Ohio, where Gaudreau signed a 2022 free-agent deal with the small-market Blue Jackets over more lucrative free-agent offers from other teams, including New Jersey. Blue Jackets fans and players gathered for an emotional candlelight vigil last week, and a similar gathering was held in Calgary.

Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said the entire team would be at the funeral. Bettman and former BC coach Jerry York were also expected to be among the many in attendance.

“The way they carried themselves on campus and the joy they had every day around the guys made them really fun to be around,” Boston College assistant coach Mike Ayres said. “They were both very, very talented hockey players, but they were great people to be around and made everything around them fun.”

A fundraiser for Matthew’s widow, Madeline, to support her and their baby, due in December, has surpassed $600,000, with nearly 9,000 donors, including many NHL players and their families.

“He didn’t make the millions that Johnny made, and he doesn’t have a pension from the Players’ Association,” said Michael Myers of the ECHL’s Worcester Railers, where Matthew played for two seasons. “It’s important for the hockey community to recognize that and embrace that to help Matthew’s family.”

The Gaudreau brothers were riding their bikes on a road in Oldmans Township about 8 p.m. Aug. 29 when a man driving an SUV in the same direction tried to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind, according to New Jersey State Police. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said the driver, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being intoxicated and faces two counts of causing death by vehicle, as well as careless driving, having an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle. He was jailed pending a Sept. 13 hearing.

The brothers have been honored on various social media platforms since their deaths. Katie Gaudreau, the younger sister who was due to get married the day after the brothers’ deaths, posted photos of her family in happier times on social media.

Over the weekend, a video titled “Birds for the Gaudreau Boys” appeared on Instagram, set to a clip of John Gaudreau unzipping his winter coat to show off his Eagles jersey as he went through security before an NHL game. She also posted a family slideshow tribute titled “This Day,” in which she wrote that she “would do anything to tell my big brothers I love them one more time.”

Devin Joyce, the expected groom and college hockey player, wrote that he promised to “provide the absolute best care for your little sister.”

He added: “I know I never said it, but I loved you very much. I am very lucky to have called you brothers for as long as I did.”

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Whyno reported from Washington.