Tributes to Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were found throughout the sports world on Friday from LeBron James, Yankee Stadium and small ice rinks around North America.
The Gaudreau brothers were killed while cycling Thursday night when they were run over by a suspected drunk driver in their hometown near Philadelphia.
Johnny Gaudreau, star of the Columbus Blue Jackets, was 31; his brother Matthew was 29.
The two were back home in New Jersey to celebrate their sister Katie’s wedding which was scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia.
Both brothers were to be groomsmen in the ceremony.
Numerous baseball teams held moments of silence before Friday games starting with the Cincinnati Reds. The Cleveland Guardians, Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, and Detroit Tigers were other teams who honored
The Phillies and Eagles, of which Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were avid fans, sent their condolences as did Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and numerous past and current teammates including Matthew Tkachuk.
Johnny Gaudreau was a star at Boston College who won the Hobey Baker Award in 2014 before joining the Calgary Flames.
A six-time All-Star, Gaudreau left the Flames in 2022 to move closer to his family and signed a seven-year contract with the Blue Jackets.
Memorials started popping up at Nationwide Arena in Columbus and the Saddledome in Calgary not long after the Blue Jackets confirmed the deaths on Friday morning.
Fans continued to visit the two arenas throughout the day, with fans in Columbus holding a candlelight vigil on Friday night.
The Ohio State Buckeyes plan to honor the Gaudreaus with a moment of silence before today’s opener against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium (3:30, CBS-4).
On the legal front, Sean Higgins, 43, of Woodstown, New Jersey, is in jail after the crash.
Higgins is accused of driving while intoxicated; he apparently admitted to New Jersey State Police that he had been drinking beer before and while driving.
He was trying to pass another vehicle on the right shoulder when he ran over the Gaudreaus.
Higgins has been charged with two counts of death by auto as well as executing an unsafe lane change and driving with an open container.
Johnny Gaudreau leaves behind his wife Meredith and their two young children Noa and Johnny. Matthew Gaudreau is survived by his wife, Madeline.
Both brothers are survived by their parents, Jane and Gus Gaudreau, and their sisters Kristen and Katie.
A GoFundMe has been set up for Matthew Gaudreau’s family which by Saturday morning had already raised over $260,000.
The money raised will go to the long-term care of Matthew’s family. His wife Meredith is pregnant.
