(NEW YORK) — The wife of Columbus Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau is speaking out after the hockey player and his brother Matthew Gaudreau were killed last week while riding bicycles in New Jersey, according to police.
Meredith Gaudreau, who shares two children with her late husband, wrote about the bond she saw between her husband and his brother, who are also survived by their parents and two sisters, in a series of Instagram posts Sunday.
“John and Matty. U don’t hear one name without the other. Always side by side. Even in large group settings, u can find them hip to hip,” Meredith Gaudreau captioned a series of photos of the brothers. “John’s younger brother- but he looked up to Matty and relied on him for everythinggg. And Matty was always there. Absolute best friends and biggest fans of each other despite polar opposite personalities. Everyone wanted to be around them, including me.”
In separate posts, Meredith Gaudreau also reflected on the late NHL star as a father and a husband, writing, “Thank you for the best years of my life. Despite losing you, I am still the luckiest girl in the world to have been yours.”
Alongside photos of Johnny Gaudreau with their two children, she wrote, “The absolute best dad in the world. So caring and loving. The best partner to go through parenthood with. John never missed a single appointment. Was the best at putting the baby to sleep and the Apple of Noa’s eye. I love how much she looks like him. We are going to make you proud. We love you so so so much daddy.”
Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were cycling in Salem County on Aug. 29 “close to the fog line of the roadway” when they were hit from behind by a driver who was trying to pass another car, according to New Jersey State Police.
The driver, 43-year-old Sean Higgins, who told police he had about 5 or 6 beers before the crash, failed a field sobriety test, according to the probable cause affidavit. Higgins is charged with two counts of death by auto, according to police.
His detention hearing is scheduled for Sept. 5.
The Gaudreau brothers’ deaths came the night before their sister Katie was set to get married, according to their former coaches.
Matthew Gaudreau’s wife, Madeline Gaudreau, is pregnant with their first child.
Madeline Gaudreau also wrote on Instagram Sunday about the brothers’ bond, and how she and her sister-in-law Meredith Gaudreau will now be there for each other.
“To Meredith- we will forever share this extreme heartbreak and terrible bond.. however , the boys couldn’t have picked stronger woman as their wives and mothers of their children,” she captioned a series of photos. “We will carry each other through every season .. as the boys would do for each other. They blessed us with children.. through them we will always have a part of them earth side with us forever.”
Describing the brothers as each other’s “biggest cheerleaders,” she added, “I find extreme comfort knowing they are together , as they always were. I know they are still messing with each other up there and will continue to look over their families.”
Both brothers played hockey at Boston College.
Before attending BC, the brothers played hockey at Gloucester Catholic High School in their native New Jersey. Matthew Gaudreau returned to the high school as a hockey coach, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said.
Johnny Gaudreau, a winger, won the Hobey Baker Award in 2014 as the best player in college hockey. He was also a finalist for the Calder Trophy, given to the league’s best rookie, in 2014-15, and named to the All-Star Game in 2015. He played nine seasons for the Calgary Flames before joining the Blue Jackets before the 2022-23 season. He had 12 goals and 48 assists last season.
The brothers’ uncle wrote in a statement after their death, “Last night we lost two husbands, two fathers, two sons, two brothers, two sons and brothers in law, two uncles, two nephews, two cousins, two family members two teammates, two friends but truly two amazing humans.”
ABC News’ Emily Shapiro, Ben Stein, Jason Volack, Kendall Coughlin and Lena Camilletti contributed to this report.
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