September 06, 2024
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch/USA TODAY Network
Funeral services for former NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother, Matthew, will be held at Saint Mary Magdalen Church in Upper Providence, Delaware County, at noon on Monday, Sept. 9. The brothers were killed in their home state of New Jersey last week when they were struck on their bikes by suspected drunk driver Sean Higgins, who's facing multiple charges in the crash.
The funeral for former NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, will be held Monday morning at a church in Delaware County. The two brothers, both pillars of the hockey community, were killed last week by a suspected drunk driver who struck them as they rode their bikes on a road in New Jersey near where they grew up.
The memorial service will take place at noon at Saint Mary Magdalen Church in Upper Providence, Delaware County. The Columbus Blue Jackets, Johnny Gaudreau's most recent team, will stream the service on its website. Although the brothers were not members of the parish in Pennsylvania, the church community holds close ties to the family and requested that the funeral be held there, Rev. Eric Banecker wrote in a note to the parish. The Catholic school will be closed for the service on Monday.
MORE: A blaze that destroyed the Fire Chief's Memorial in Norristown is ruled arson
Johnny, 31, a decorated NHL veteran, and Matthew, 29, also a former professional hockey player, died last week while cycling on a road in Oldman Township, Salem County, one day before their sister Katie's wedding. The brothers grew up in Carneys Point Township and played hockey at Gloucester Catholic High School, where Matthew most recently was the coach of the men's team. Both brothers played collegiately at Boston College.
The driver who allegedly struck the Gaudreau brothers was identified as Sean Higgins, 43, a member of the New Jersey Army National Guard and an employee of a Gaudenzia rehab facility. Higgins allegedly struck the brothers on their bikes from behind while attempting to pass slower-moving vehicles, New Jersey State Police said.
Higgins allegedly told troopers at the scene that he had consumed "five to six beers" earlier in the night before the crash. He is charged with death by auto, reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle. His pretrial hearing was adjourned until next Friday.
In the week since the Gaudreau brothers were killed, the family has received an outpouring of support as loved ones and hockey fans remember the impacts they had on the sport and their communities. Johnny Gaudreau had two children with his wife, Meredith, and Matthew was expecting his first child with his wife, Madeline, in December.
A verified GoFundMe set up by Madeline's sister has raised more than $627,000 to support the Gaudreau family with the funeral and expenses for the baby. Among the thousands of donors are NHL players who have paid tribute to the Gaudreau family over the last week.
Johnny Gaudreau, nicknamed "Johnny Hockey," was a seven-time NHL All-Star who played most of his career with the Calgary Flames before joining the Blue Jackets as a free agent two years ago. In a video remembering Gaudreau, the team shared an earlier interview with Johnny about the importance of his family life.
"To know these two was to love these two," Katie Gaudreau, the brothers' youngest sister, wrote on Instagram on Monday. "There are absolutely no words I have to express the bond my family shared. The entire world knows there would never have been a John without Matty or Matty without John. The absolute best big brothers a little girl could have asked for. This will never be a goodbye post because I will never stop saying your names and honoring you both."
Blue Jackets fans attended a candlelight vigil outside Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Wednesday night to honor the Gaudreau brothers. The team held a silent remembrance for the 13 minutes and 21 seconds to honor their numbers. The Flames also held a vigil for the brothers.
The crash last week drew strong calls from cycling advocates to invest in safer streets and prompted reminders of the painful toll of drunk driving.
“If you think about driving after a few beers or a fun night, please, please, please do not,” Johnny Gaudreau's Blue Jackets teammate, Erik Gudbranson, said at the vigil. “Find a way home.”
Ahead of the Gaudreau brothers' funeral, the family said contributions in their memory can be made to the John & Matthew Gaudreau Foundation c/o Lewis Gross, Sports Professional Management Inc. 560 Sylvan Ave., Suite 3070, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 07632.
