The parents of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were overcome with emotion during a memorial for their late sons.
Guy and Jane Gaudreau led a procession on the ice at Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell, New Jersey on Friday, September 13, before a game between the Northeast Generals and Philadelphia Rebels, where Matthew was formerly an assistant coach.
Matthew and his older brother Johnny, a forward for the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, were struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver while riding bikes together on August 29 in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. Matthew was 29, while Johnny was 31.
In the pre-game ceremony, Guy and Jane both carried tissues in their hands. Guy waved to the applauding crowd while Jane held her face in her hands.
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The Rebels play in the North American Hockey League, a Tier II junior league. In July, Matthew resigned from his position as one of the team’s assistant coaches after two seasons with the club.
Hollydell Ice Arena, where the Rebels call home, is the same rink where both Matthew and Johnny learned to play hockey growing up. In a statement after their deaths, the Rebels said “the depth of our sadness can’t be put into words.”
“Off the ice, everyone in the Hollydell family will miss Matty’s warm smile and personality,” the statement read. “He was a friend to everyone he encountered, and his loss will leave a hole in our community.”
The Rebels organization continued, “As the best of local success stories, Matty and Johnny have motivated countless young hockey players in the South Jersey community. While our collective grief will linger for some time, we will continue to celebrate Matty and Johnny at Hollydell Ice Arena. We all benefited tremendously from their involvement with our hockey family.”
In the wake of the brothers’ sudden deaths, the greater hockey community has stepped up to support the Gaudreau family, with many former teammates and friends attending Matthew and Johnny’s memorial service earlier this month.
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Edmonton Oilers star Evander Kane exclusively told Us Weekly that the hockey world will continue to uplift the family in the coming months, especially Matthew’s wife Madeline and Johnny’s wife Meredith, who are both pregnant.
“The whole hockey community is going to rally and continue to rally around them especially as this season progresses,” Kane, 33, vowed.
“I don’t know how I would deal with something like that, you know?” Kane continued. “You try and put yourself in their shoes and it’s really, really hard to do. I just wish them the best, wish them the opportunity to heal from this, especially their wives who are going to have to raise these kids without them.”
Madeline is expecting her first child with Matthew, while Meredith already shared two kids with Johnny — Noa, nearly 2, and Johnny, 7 months.
