Matthew Gaudreau was getting ready to welcome a child when he and his brother, Columbus Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau, have been struck and killed whereas biking close to their hometown on Thursday, August 29.
Matthew’s spouse, Madeline Gaudreau, is anticipating a child due on December 31, in line with an on-line registry within the couple’s identify. Matthew and Madeline tied the knot in July 2021.
Though Matthew hadn’t posted on Instagram since June 2022, he typically shared glimpses of his and Madeline’s love story.
“Didn’t assume she would say sure!” he captioned a July 2019 photograph of himself down on one knee proposing to Madeline.
Courtesy of Meredith Gaudreau/Instagram Though Johnny Gaudreau liked the sport of hockey, his household all the time got here first. Off the ice, the NHL participant loved spending high quality time along with his spouse, Meredith, and their two youngsters, Noa and Johnny. Tragedy struck the Gaudreau household, nonetheless, when Johnny and his youthful brother, Matthew Gaudreau, have been killed whereas […]
In February 2017, he captioned a candy snap of the pair, “Completely satisfied 4 years to this lovely lady, I wouldn’t be the person i’m in the present day with out you. I really like you all the time.”
Matthew, who was 29, and Johnny, who was 31, have been killed by a suspected drunk driver Thursday night whereas biking in Oldman Township, New Jersey, in line with the Columbus Dispatch.
The brothers have been scheduled to be groomsmen at their sister Katie’s wedding ceremony in Philadelphia on Friday, August 30. Katie shared a photograph of the marriage rehearsal by way of her Instagram Story hours earlier than the tragic incident. The nuptials have since been canceled, Web page Six reported on Friday.
The Gaudreau household reacted to Johnny and Matthew’s deaths by way of a press release from the brothers’ Uncle Jim.
Courtesy of Meredith Gaudreau/Instagram Johnny Gaudreau and his spouse, Meredith Gaudreau, have been married for 3 years earlier than his premature dying. Meredith was Johnny’s No. 1 fan on the ice as he performed for the Columbus Blue Jackets. “Final sport of the season tonight 🥲. Love our man a lot 💙❤️ ,” she wrote by way of Instagram […]
“Final night time we misplaced two husbands, two fathers, two sons, two brothers, two sons and brothers in regulation, two nephews, two cousins, two relations, two teammates, two pals however really two superb human beings,” the assertion shared by way of X by Boston reporter Dan Roche reads. “We need to let everybody know we’re receiving your messages of affection and help and we recognize your continued ideas and prayers.”
Johnny is survived by his spouse, Meredith, whom he wed in 2021, and their two youngsters: daughter Noa, who turns 2 in February, and son Johnny, who was born in February.
Johnny spent the primary 9 seasons of his skilled hockey profession with the Calgary Flames earlier than signing as an unrestricted free agent with the Blue Jackets in 2022. The NHL crew shared a tribute to Johnny by way of X on Friday.
“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy. Johnny was not solely an amazing hockey participant, however extra considerably a loving father, son, brother and pal,” the assertion learn. “We prolong our heartfelt sympathies to his spouse, Meredith, his youngsters Noa and Johnny, his dad and mom, their household and pals on the sudden dying of Johnny and Matthew.”
The person suspected of hitting Matthew and Johnny, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins, was taken into custody Thursday night and charged with two counts of vehicular murder. Higgins is suspected of being drunk when he swerved and hit the Gaudreau brothers as they rode bicycles shortly after 8 p.m. ET.
The New Jersey State Police advised Us that Higgins was touring behind two automobiles when he “tried to go the slower-moving sedan and SUV, entered the southbound lanes of journey, handed the slower-moving sedan, and tried to re-enter the northbound lanes of journey when the SUV in entrance of Higgins moved to the center of the roadway, splitting the north and south lanes to soundly go the 2 pedalcyclist touring north on the best facet of the roadway.”
When Higgins tried to go the SUV on the best, he struck each Johnny and Matthew “within the rear,” inflicting “deadly accidents.”
