MEDIA, Pa. — The day began under crystal blue skies Monday at Saint Mary Magdalene Church, where groups of Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames exited buses and immediately embraced each other with hugs.
More: Meredith Gaudreau announces pregnancy in emotional eulogy for Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau
Nearly four hours later, a joint funeral for Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau concluded with the heartbreaking sounds of church bells chiming as Guy Gaudreau, their father, wept loudly while draping himself over his sons’ caskets.
Jane Gaudreau, their mother, bore a look of anguish as her two sons, ages 31 (John) and 29 (Matthew) were loaded into shimmering silver hearses following a touching service that included eulogies from their wives.
Gathered outside was a large group of family, friends and NHL dignitaries who attended, including commissioner Gary Bettman. The hockey world joined the Gaudreau family in mourning the brothers, who were killed Aug. 29 after being struck by a vehicle while bicycling together in Oldmans Township, New Jersey.
Their younger sister, Katie Gaudreau, was set to be married the next day.
The driver, Sean M. Higgins, was arrested and remains behind bars while facing two charges of death by auto. Police say he admitted to drinking 5-6 beers before the crash and failed a field sobriety test.
The shocking deaths have rocked hockey. Both brothers were coached by their father, played at the junior level in the United States Hockey League, then collegiately at Boston College, including one season as teammates, and each reached the professional level. Matthew spent several seasons in the ECHL and AHL. Johnny made it to the NHL, where he became a star with the Flames for nine seasons in Calgary before signing with the Blue Jackets in July 2022 .
In Columbus, Johnny Gaudreau became a father twice to a daughter, Noa, and son, Johnny. His wife, Meredith, revealed during her eulogy that she’s 9 weeks pregnant with their third child. Speaking for roughly 30 minutes, she wore his dark wedding band along with her own.
Matthew’s wife, Madeline, is also expecting their first child, a boy they’d named Tripp. Hers was the first eulogy, following a moving homily by Boston College reverend Anthony Penna, who met the Gaudreau brothers while they were students.
“All of us here today are having a hard time believing that we should not, as the gospel said, be burdened by our loss today because God has them in God’s hands,” Penna said. “Though that is true, there’s not a person in this church today, all of you, who doesn’t feel a burden, a pain, a loss. We’ve been robbed of something here today – two really wonderful young men, who had dreams yet to chase down, who had futures yet to live, who had goals and accomplishments yet to be achieved. How can we not feel bad today?”
Penna, whose homily was about love and the Gaudreau family’s closeness, shared an anecdote about the brothers’ love for each other as siblings, which he witnessed once during Matthew’s visit to BC during Johnny’s freshman year. Upon walking up to say hello to Matthew, the reverend heard the two brothers bantering back and forth, saying they loved each other.
“What I saw in those two brothers was a love that I didn’t have with my own brothers, and I love my brothers,” Penna said. “But they had an intensity to their love that was unbelievable, and I’m sure it’s that way for (their sisters) Katie and Kristen too because they had the best teachers in the world (Guy and Jane Gaudreau).”
Meredith and Madeline also talked about their husbands’ bond, saying that wherever one went, the other was likely to follow or have his name spoken.
“John took care of Matty and Matty would take care of John,” Madeline Gaudreau said. “To know both of them was to truly love them. It was impossible not to fall in love with them. Meredith said it best: ‘You do not hear one name without the other.' They were so extremely proud of each other, and it brings me comfort knowing they’re still together forever, as they always were.”
The church was packed. The service began just after noon and lasted into the middle of the afternoon before the caskets, each covered with a white sheet and cross, were brought down the aisle and out to the waiting hearses.
The sun’s glare glistened brightly off the vehicles, as a somber crowd grew in front of the church.
Patrik Laine, who had just been traded to the Montreal Canadiens shortly before the Gaudreaus died, greeted his former Blue Jackets teammates with hugs, including Adam Fantilli, the 19-year-old center he’d taken under his wing last season. Former Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic, now with the Carolina Hurricanes, also greeted his former Columbus teammates, along with Gustav Nyquist, who played one season with Johnny Gaudreau as a Blue Jackets teammate and now is with the Nashville Predators.
They weren’t alone.
Players, coaches and staffers from several NHL teams showed up to support the family, including new Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan and former Blue Jackets forward Eric Robinson. Each was a pallbearer, Monahan for Johnny and Robinson for Matthew, whom he played with on a youth hockey team coached by Guy Gaudreau.
It was a beautiful day to honor and remember two beloved brothers, sons, husbands and fathers, along with a chance to reflect. Penna challenged those who attended to look inward.
“Maybe we can learn from this that we’re not guaranteed long lives,” he said. “So, maybe we should live our lives with more urgency. We saw what real love looked like. Maybe with our own families, we should find a way to be more loving.”
Also, more responsible.
“I urge everyone not to drink and drive,” Madeline Gaudreau said during her eulogy for Matthew. “Call for a ride. Please do not put another family through this torture.”
bhedger@dispatch.com
@BrianHedger
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Memorializing Johnny, Matthew Gaudreau: 'We’ve been robbed of something here today'
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