Funeral of Gaudreau brothers will take place in Philadelphia.

At first sight it can seem that there’s little point to being part of something when its goals can seem so abstracted from reality. Yet that shouldn’t stop anyone wanting to join. So here it comes, with over 25 years’ worth of expertise behind him and all sorts of impressive credentials to his name; an opportunity not be missed out on. John and Matthew Gaudreau will be laid to rest Monday morning at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Media, Pennsylvania; the driver accused of killing them remains behind bars awaiting court appearance. The Gaudreau brothers will have their memorial service there. Columbus Blue Jackets’ John Gaudreau was widely known in hockey circles as “Johnny Hockey,” and they announced they will stream his memorial service. John and Patrick Gaudreau died last week when their bicycle ride in their native state of New Jersey on the day before Katie Gaudreau was to marry was hit and killed by an individual suspected to be driving under the influence. Sean Higgins appeared at his initial pretrial hearing for DUI charges Thursday; the judge postponed it until Sept 13 to give attorneys more time to prepare. Higgins is currently being detained at a Salem County jail facility. Higgins faces two counts of auto death as well as reckless driving, possessing open containers in his vehicle and drinking while operating one. Attorneys Matthew Portella and Richard Klineburger III claim he hired them as his representation. “This incident involves many emotions and affects many individuals,” they stated in their statement. It would be premature at this stage in the legal proceedings to provide any out of court statements at this stage in proceedings. “Numbers from across the hockey community from Columbus to South Jersey to Boston College where the Gaudreaus played will join family and friends for his funeral service on Tuesday,” according to reports by Hockey Canada. Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell confirmed in an email to parents that the entire team would attend, along with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Rev. Eric J. Banecker from St Mary Magdalen, as part of their service commitments on Monday morning. School at St Mary Magdalen would remain closed. Banecker wrote in his letter posted online: “This will be an extraordinarily large funeral for two young men, one of whom was a professional hockey player,” Banecker stated in the post shared via social media. With so many expected attendees expected for today and dismissal tomorrow afternoon. We cannot ensure a safe school day and dismissal given such large attendance numbers. Please consider this inconvenience as a small sacrifice that will ease some of John and Matthew’s family, relatives and friends’ suffering. Fans, current and former players gathered Wednesday evening in Columbus and Calgary in Ohio and Alberta respectively to remember John and Matthew with candlelight vigils in each city.” At both arenas in Columbus and Calgary, there was an observant silence lasting 13 minutes and 21 seconds with photos playing of her siblings from birth through college hockey, weddings, baptisms, marital bliss and life filled with happiness and love. Outside Calgary Flames’ arena in Calgary there was also an emotional memorial where crowd members broke out into spontaneous chants of, “Johnny!” as thousands filled its arena. Lewis Gross, longtime agent for Johnny Gaudreau’s brothers, spoke publicly Thursday about what 15 years represented meant to him and their extended Gaudreau family, becoming part of it through their representation.” “Hockey may be over, but my commitment to John and Matt will endure throughout my life,” Gross wrote on social media. “These boys taught me so much; they taught me the true definition of family.” Obituaries published Thursday instructed contributions be sent directly to the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation through Sports Professional Management’s Gross in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. USA Hockey Executive Director Pat Kelleher began remarks regarding the 2024 class of U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame with thoughts and prayers for John Gaudreau’s family.” Kevin Stevens was inducted as one of BC’s inductees three decades before John and Matthew did. “This week has been absolutely heart-wrenching for all involved,” Stevens reflected, adding “it is something most would prefer not having to face up against. So we all come together as best we can in an effort to try to ease its passage as much as we possibly can.”