One 12 months later, it nonetheless doesn’t really feel actual.
It was on August 29, 2024 that the very basis of the hockey world was shook to the core. On that day, the hockey world misplaced two of its brightest lights.
Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau have been tragically killed whereas driving their bikes by a suspected drunk driver. They have been house in New Jersey on the time to be part of their sister’s marriage ceremony the following day.
The suspected drunk driver, Sean Higgins, was arrested as he was behind the wheel of a Jeep Grand Cherokee that struck the brothers. He failed a subsequent sobriety take a look at on the scene. He at the moment stays in jail as he awaits path. The following listening to is scheduled for September 18.
In the meantime, the Gaudreau household and your complete hockey world needed to in some way come to grips with what occurred. Shock. Anger. Excessive disappointment. These have been simply a few of the feelings that have been being handled when making an attempt to course of every thing.
When information unfold world wide, tributes began pouring in. It was abundantly clear simply how universally beloved Johnny and Matthew have been. They have been household males first who had an abundance of affection to share with everybody who knew them finest.
Whereas there was no playbook for the right way to deal with a scenario like this, one factor turned clear to the Gaudreau household, the Blue Jackets and the remainder of the hockey world. They have been all going to do every thing of their energy to honor the legacies of John and Matthew.
One 12 months later, everybody has stored their promise of conserving these legacies alive. Not solely have these guarantees been stored through the 12 months, they’re going to be stored indefinitely all through a number of generations.
Want the definition of immeasurable energy? Simply take a look at what the Gaudreau household, the Blue Jackets and the hockey world have finished within the final 12 months to make sure John and Matthew’s gentle continues to shine for everybody to see.
Guarantees Saved
On the funeral, the Rev. Tony Penna made an announcement on the true impression that John and Matthew had. All anybody needed to do was look across the church to see the scores of individuals in attendance.
“By the overwhelming presence and overwhelming variety of individuals right here at present, they’re sending a message to you loud and clear that John and Matthew’s lives mattered, that they have been seen on this earth, they have been beloved on this earth they usually have been valued on this earth,” Penna stated on the funeral.
Amongst these in attendance on the funeral that day have been NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, present Montreal Canadien Cole Caufield, your complete Columbus Blue Jackets’ crew in addition to former Blue Jacket Patrik Laine together with a number of gamers and others from the league.
Then the profound phrases of Ed Morris, the daddy of Meredith Gaudreau, spoke to what would have made John and Matthew pleased.
“John and Matty might be so pleased if the world discovered about how they lived their life and all of us improved our lives because of this,” Morris stated. From there, the work started to maintain their legacies alive.
In October, the Gaudreau household shared their imaginative and prescient of constructing positive the legacies of John and Matthew have been carried ahead.
Jane Gaudreau, the mom of John and Matthew, stated “They did a lot good throughout their quick lives. That, as a household we need to guarantee that their legacy lives on.”
Katie Gaudreau, the sister of John and Matthew, stated “They did a lot good in such a brief time period and I simply assume we have to capitalize on that and maintain going. That’s what they might need. The aim is to simply do as a lot good as we probably can for my brothers.”
It’s protected to say that the household stored their promise and capitalized. They’ve ensured that John and Matthew’s impression might be seen for years to come back.
That impression was first seen in tributes world wide. Whether or not it was in Calgary or Columbus, at Hollydell rink or at Gloucester Catholic Highschool, at Boston School and elsewhere, followers got here in mass to indicate their help for the Gaudreau household.
Then the household went to work to honor the brothers. It began domestically with a few fundraisers to assist two faculties near their coronary heart in Gloucester Catholic and Archbishop Damiano College. Recall that Johnny donated $10,000 to Archbishop Damiano after his hat trick within the 2023 NHL All-Star Sport.
Archbishop Damiano is a non-public faculty for college kids with disabilities. There was a necessity for a brand new adaptive playground on website that may take lots of of hundreds of {dollars} to fund. The Gaudreau household selected to honor the brother’s legacies by serving to elevate funds for this playground.
Due to the current Gaudreau household 5K Stroll/Run at Washington Lake Park, over $500,000 was raised to assist fund the constructing of the playground. Coupled with different donations made in John and Matthew’s reminiscence, sufficient funds have been raised to satisfy the necessity. Groundbreaking is anticipated quickly with the construct tentatively scheduled to begin this October.
Whereas Jane and Kristen have been on the middle of this initiative, Meredith and Madeline have been placing necessary work in on one other mission: The John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation.
The Basis launched in March to “honor the enduring legacy of John and Matty by supporting tasks and initiatives that align with the values and passions that they championed.” By way of donations and the promoting of merchandise, funds raised go in the direction of particular tasks akin to increasing youth hockey alternatives, offering help to hockey households coping with tragedies and helping households affected by drunk driving.
The Basis was formally launched on Aug 13, the day that Johnny would have turned 32. Meredith and Madeline appeared on Good Morning America to announce the official launching.
Anybody can assist help the mission of the John and Matthew Gaudreau Basis by making a donation or by purchasing for merchandise impressed by the brothers. Many households might be positively impacted as a result of they are going to have entry to much-needed help.
Different Guarantees Saved
There have been a whole lot of issues finished to maintain the brother’s legacy alive. The Gaudreau household will proceed to make sure their impression will assist flip tragedy into optimistic contributions.
Meredith and Madeline every gave beginning to a son within the final 12 months. Carter Michael Gaudreau was born in April whereas Tripp Matthew was born in December. The households have stated the kids will develop up figuring out how impactful their fathers have been.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have additionally finished quite a few issues to maintain the legacy of the brothers alive. Here’s a small itemizing of issues they did all through final season.
- The Blue Jackets’ gamers wore a ’13’ patch on their jerseys and wore a blue sticker on their helmets displaying “Gaudreau” and doves between the numbers 13 and 21.
- A ’13’ banner was lifted to the rafters at Nationwide Area which had Johnny’s title on it.
- A video montage was performed on the house opener which included the household strolling the blue carpet.
- The house opener began with a “missing-man formation.” Johnny’s spot on the left wing was left empty and 13 sport seconds got here off the clock whereas silence was noticed.
- A memorial was setup inside Nationwide Area for followers to see the impression that Johnny and Matthew had on the hockey world.
- Inside their locker room, an empty stall was left for Johnny and his quantity 13 jersey hung there. Gamers would often do postgame interviews close to that stall.
- The crew ensured Johnny travelled on the highway too together with his jersey being prominently displayed on a stall within the highway locker room.
- Blue Jackets’ gamers continuously spoke of the impression Johnny and Matthew had. They shared tales and would continuously ask what would Johnny do?
- A number of highway cities provided moments earlier than the sport to recollect the brothers. There have been some prolonged ones in Calgary (Johnny’s first NHL crew) and in Philadelphia (The Gaudreau’s native crew.)
- The Blue Jackets, Flyers and others invited Man Gaudreau on the ice with them at practices and morning skates.
- The Blue Jackets invited Jane Gaudreau on the mom’s journey in Detroit. Head coach Dean Evason escorted her to middle ice for the crew picture.
- The Gaudreau household led the Blue Jackets out to Ohio Stadium on the Stadium Collection.
- Meredith Gaudreau offered Sean Monahan with the Invoice Masterton Memorial Trophy. She additionally introduced the Blue Jackets’ first-round decide on the 2025 NHL Draft. It was a second Jackson Smith will always remember.
The Blue Jackets will proceed to honor the brothers indefinitely. Captain Boone Jenner advised the Hockey Writers this week that Johnny will all the time be with them in all places.
“For us, for myself and my teammates, there’s not a day goes by that we don’t honor and keep in mind him,” Jenner stated. “We continuously discuss him and his tales and what would Johnny do. We’ll proceed to try this. He’ll all the time be part of our crew. He’ll all the time be in that locker room with us, away from the rink with us, in all places with us.”
There have been loads of different examples too exhibiting the brother’s legacy being remembered. Cole Caufield switched his quantity from 22 to 13 to honor his hero Johnny. The Flames warmed up carrying quantity 13 jerseys. Crew U.S.A. wore decals with the names and numbers of the brothers. They’ve put Johnny’s Males’s Nationwide Crew jersey over the IIHF World Championship trophy after profitable for the primary time in 92 years. Boston School held moments of silence to honor the brothers. And Hollydell Ice Area renamed one of many rinks the “John and Matthew Gaudreau Rink” to recollect their native impression.
Once more, this can be a small sampling of a few of the methods the Gaudreau brothers have been honored and remembered. Regardless of which reminiscence stands out to you most, the theme is identical. The Gaudreau household, the Blue Jackets and others promised to maintain their reminiscences and legacies alive. One 12 months later, there isn’t a query everybody has finished that.
Ache Nonetheless Heavy
Friday might be a tough day for many individuals. The ache of the tragedy nonetheless exists. Jenner stated it finest when describing what was really inspiring in all of this.
“However the really inspiring factor is Meredith and Madeline and the Gaudreau household, what they’ve finished to assist different individuals and communities,” Jenner stated. “They did the 5k, however Meredith and Madeline and every thing that they’ve gone by means of and the way they’ve dealt with it’s simply really inspiring daily. Now they’ve the John and Matt Basis. It’s extraordinarily going to be so highly effective. And figuring out that it’s going to assist so many youngsters and households in Johnny and Matty’s title, simply really inspiring. Once I take a look at them and Johnny’s youngsters, that’s actual energy.”
Jenner couldn’t have stated it higher. Actual energy. What the Gaudreau household has needed to endure within the final 12 months is nearly unfathomable. But, the household discovered the energy to endure because of the overwhelming help of the neighborhood and the hockey world.
That energy has led to at present and all of the completely different ways in which Johnny and Matthew are being remembered. They could be gone however they are going to by no means be forgotten.
You Might Additionally Like
They are saying the true signal of affection and respect is what different individuals say about somebody. Simply take a look at what has been stated about John and Matthew. What stands out? They have been household males. They have been males who beloved passionately. Their instance has touched the lives of numerous individuals on the planet.
Due to the prevailing reminiscences of John and Matthew, numerous lives have been improved by considering of them, studying from them and emulating their instance.
It was all the time their love that stood out probably the most. On this one-year anniversary of the tragedy, let’s concentrate on their instance of affection and what number of lives it should ultimately rework.
Due to the tireless work of the Gaudreau household, the Blue Jackets and plenty of others conserving their promise, Johnny and Matthew’s legacy shines brighter than ever. Let that offer you a cause to smile at present.
