Johnny Gaudreau’s Squad Members Arrive at His Daughter’s 2nd Birthday After His Death: ‘Forever Be Family’

All the Columbus hockey players came to celebrate Noa’s second birthday with Johnny’s widow, Meredith

All of Johnny Gaudreau’s Columbus Blue Jackets teammates showed up to support his widow Meredith and their two-year-old daughter Noa following the tragic death of the NHL star.

On Monday, September 30, Meredith shared photos and videos on Instagram from Noa’s second birthday, which came just a month after Johnny and his brother Matthew Gaudreau were fatally struck by an alleged drunk driver on August 29 in New Jersey.

Among the photos Meredith posted was a group photo of the Blue Jackets standing along a large sign that read, “Happy 2nd Birthday Noa.”

Above the photo, Meredith wrote on her Instagram Story: “We love you all. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

She added, “A truly special group that will forever be family to me and our children,” referring to Noa along with their son Johnny, who is 7 months old and their third child is on the way. Meredith announced that she was pregnant with another child at her husband’s funeral.

Related: Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau’s childhood rink renamed after their deaths: ‘They will continue to inspire’

Noa’s second birthday party was farm-themed and included animal decorations and printed photos of Noa with her late father.

Meredith shared several videos from the party, as well as photos and clips from last year, including one of her and her daughter sitting on the couch watching Johnny’s away game on TV. “Daddy’s biggest fan,” the caption read on social media.

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The Blue Jackets organization has continually looked for ways to honor the late star and his brother since their untimely passing. On September 19, the team announced that its players would wear helmet decals and uniform patches honoring Johnny throughout the NHL season.

“The sticker is blue with gray trim and depicts GAUDREAU, the two pigeons between the number 13 that Johnny wore throughout his career and the number 21 that Matthew wore at Boston College, in white,” the team said in a release.

Blue Jackets players also recently stated that they will continue to prepare Johnny’s locker before every game this season – both home and away.

Related: Pregnant widows of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau vow to honor their husbands ‘hand in hand’ at funeral

Head coach Dean Evason told ESPN that the team will also feature Johnny on tapings as the team prepares for games. “With the videos we made for camp, one of the coaches asked if we were removing Johnny from all the videos?” According to ESPN, Evason said.

“I said, ‘Absolutely not.’ Johnny will be teaching. Good or bad, if he doesn’t come back, we will show that he will be with us.

Johnny and Matt Gaudreau were killed on the eve of their sister Katie Gaudreau’s wedding when a suspected drunk driver hit the brothers riding their bicycles.

Johnny, an 11-year NHL player with the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets, was 31 years old. Matthew, a former NCAA hockey star at Boston College who in recent years became the assistant head coach of their high school hockey team, was 29 years old.

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