The sad news that Johnny Gaudreau, a famous NHL player, and his brother Matthew Gaudreau have died has been confirmed by new accounts. The terrible thing happened on Thursday, August 29, around 8:30 p.m.
Johnathon, 31, and Matthew were riding their bikes on Stumpy Lane in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, when they were hit by a car. According to the local officials, the accident killed them too soon.
Johnny played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and on August 30, the team posted on social media site X that he had died. The team sent out a sincere message about how shocked and saddened they were by the death.
The Blue Jackets praised Johnny’s skills and character in a statement that read, “Johnny was not only an outstanding hockey player, but more importantly, a devoted husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
The team also talked about how Johnny’s happiness made everyone who saw him play feel better. Every time he went out on the ice, his love for hockey and dedication to the game were clear.
Johnny had an impressive career. He played for Boston College, the Calgary Flames, Team USA, and finally the Columbus Blue Jackets as a centre.
“The impact Johnny had on our organisation and the sport of hockey was profound,” the Jackets said, “but it pales in comparison to the lasting impression he left on everyone who knew him.”
The team and the community are sad about the death of this famous player. At the end of their message, they asked people to pray for and think about the Gaudreau family as they deal with their terrible loss.
After the loss, the Blue Jackets also asked that the family’s privacy be observed during this hard time. In the same way, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman sent his condolences and talked about Johnny’s amazing impact as one of the “brightest young stars” in the league during his 11-season career.
Gary Bettman sent his sincere condolences to Johnny’s wife Meredith, their two children Noa and Johnny, as well as to his parents, Guy and Jane, and to his sisters, Kristen and Katie.
After initial reports went around without giving their names, Johnny and Matthew were proven to be the victims.
6abc Action News was the first to report on the accident. They said that the driver who was involved stayed at the scene and was thought to be drunk, according to the New Jersey State Police.
When the news came out, there were a lot of posts on social media about the terrible event. Elaine Shircliff, one of the users, said that the New Jersey State Police were too busy with calls to give out any more information at that time.
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According to a post by Steve Franklin, whose brother is a police officer in Salem County, New Jersey, the deaths were indeed Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.
After these posts, former NHL referee Tim Peel also went on X and said he hoped the reports that the accident was caused by a drunk driver were not true, even though it was already known that the Gaudreau brothers had died in a terrible accident.