Johnny Gaudreau's widow: 'You had been excellent'

The widow of Columbus Blue Jackets ahead Johnny Gaudreau paid tribute to him in a pair of social media posts Saturday, calling him her “perpetually” and praising him because the “greatest dad” to their younger kids.

Meredith Gaudreau additionally shared household photographs of her late husband celebrating his thirty first birthday earlier in August together with her, daughter Noa and son Johnny.

“Thanks for the very best years of my life. Regardless of dropping you, I’m nonetheless the luckiest woman on this planet to have been yours,” she wrote in an Instagram submit. “I really like you so a lot. You had been excellent. Some days it felt too good to be true. I really like each single factor about you. You’re my perpetually and I am unable to wait to be with you once more. I really like you a lot perpetually and ever.”

Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, had been killed Thursday night in New Jersey once they had been struck by an alleged drunken driver whereas using bicycles not removed from their household house. The Gaudreau household had gathered in Salem County to attend the marriage of the lads’s sister, Katie, which had been scheduled for Friday. The occasion was canceled.

Meredith and Johnny Gaudreau married Sept. 4, 2021. Noa was born the next September and Johnny on Feb. 22.

“The best possible dad on this planet. So caring and loving,” she captioned photos of Gaudreau and the children. “The most effective accomplice to undergo parenthood with. John by no means missed a single appointment. Was the very best at placing the infant to sleep and the Apple of Noa’s eye. I really like how a lot she appears like him. We’re going to make you proud. We love you so so a lot daddy.”

Matthew Gaudreau, 29, was the hockey coach on the males’s highschool alma mater, Gloucester Catholic in New Jersey, and he additionally was an expectant father. His spouse, Madeline, is anticipating their first little one in December. A GoFundMe web page set as much as profit her and the kid, who will likely be named Tripp, had raised greater than $300,000 as of Saturday afternoon.

Social media posts honoring the Gaudreaus poured in from all around the sports activities world, together with from hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and Jalen Hurts, quarterback of the Gaudreaus’ favorite NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles.

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— Wayne Gretzky (@WayneGretzky) August 31, 2024

I am deeply saddened to listen to of the passing of Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau. Johnny was a devoted hockey participant, Birds fan & cherished member of the Eagles devoted. I wish to ship my heartfelt condolences to your complete Gaudreau household & these impacted by this loss!#FlyJohnnyFly 🙏🏾

— Jalen Hurts (@JalenHurts) August 30, 2024

In line with police, the brothers had been using bikes alongside county Route 551 in Oldmans Township on Thursday evening once they had been hit by a Jeep Grand Cherokee pushed by 43-year-old Sean Higgins of Woodstown, New Jersey. The crash occurred as the driving force tried to move a slower car on the suitable and struck the Gaudreaus within the rear, police stated.

In line with a police affidavit, Higgins reportedly instructed the state trooper who arrived on the scene that he drank “5 to 6 beers” earlier than the crash. Per the report, Higgins failed a area sobriety check.

Higgins was taken to the Salem County Correctional Facility and charged with two counts of vehicular murder. At a court docket look through video Friday afternoon, he was ordered to be held with out bond, pending a detention listening to Thursday.

Data from Discipline Degree Media was used on this report.