Gaudreau funeral: Hockey brothers killed while biking to be laid to rest Monday
Gaudreau funeral: Hockey brothers killed by driver to be laid to rest Monday
Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, two hockey players who were hit and killed while biking in New Jersey last month, will be laid to rest Monday. The funeral will be held at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Media, Pennsylvania.
PHILADELPHIA - Mourners will gather Monday afternoon for a funeral for NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew more than a week after they were struck and killed by a drunk driver while riding bikes in New Jersey.
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Media, Pennsylvania will be hosting the service, which is slated to begin at noon. Monday's funeral was preceded by a private viewing that was held on Sunday
John, an All-Star for the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets known as "Johnny Hockey," and Matthew, who played collegiate hockey alongside his brother at Boston College, died Aug. 29 on the eve of their sister’s wedding.
Family and friends began arriving at the church by bus more than two hours before the service. Countless members of the hockey community from Columbus to South Jersey to Boston College are expected to join family and friends for the funeral, including the entire Blue Jackets team, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and former BC coach Jerry York.
A livestream of the funeral service will be available on FOX LOCAL, FOX29.com and the FOX 29 YouTube Channel.
The brothers have been mourned across the sports world, including Columbus, Ohio, where Gaudreau signed a free-agent deal in 2022 with the small-market Blue Jackets over more lucrative free-agent offers from other teams, including the New Jersey Devils. Fans and Blue Jackets players gathered last week for an emotional candlelight vigil, and a similar gathering was held in Calgary.
A GoFundMe for Matthew’s widow, Madeline, to support her and their baby due in December, has surpassed $645,000, with donations from nearly 9,000 people pouring in, many from NHL players and their families.
The Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road in Oldmans Township about 8 p.m. when a man driving an SUV in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind, according to New Jersey State Police. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
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Police said the driver, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and faces two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle. He has been jailed pending a Sept. 13 hearing.