Johnny Gaudreau: Funeral details revealed for NHL star and brother

PHILADELPHIA – Relatives gathered Monday afternoon for the funeral of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, more than a week after they were struck and killed by a drunk driver while riding bicycles in New Jersey.

St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Media, Pennsylvania will conduct the service, which will begin at 12:00 noon. Monday’s funeral was preceded by a private viewing held on Sunday

John, an All-Star for the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets, better known as “Johnny Hockey,” and Matthew, who played hockey with his brother at Boston College, died on August 29, the night before their sister’s wedding.

Family and friends began arriving by bus to the church more than two hours before the service. Scores of hockey community members from Columbus to South Jersey to Boston College are expected to join family and friends for the funeral, including the entire Blue Jackets team, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and former BC coach Jerry York.

A livestream of the funeral service will be available on FOX LOCAL, FOX29.com and the FOX 29 YouTube channel.

The brothers have been mourned across the sports world, including in Columbus, Ohio, where Gaudreau signed a free-agent deal with the small-time Blue Jackets in 2022 instead of more lucrative free-agent offers from other teams, including the New Jersey Devils. Fans and Blue Jackets players gathered for an emotional candlelight vigil last week, and a similar gathering was held in Calgary.

A GoFundMe for Matthew’s widow Madeline, to support her and their baby due in December, has raised more than $645,000, with donations from nearly 9,000 people, including many NHL players and their families.

The Gaudreau brothers were riding their bicycles on a road in Oldmans Township around 8 p.m. when a man driving an SUV in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind, New Jersey State Police said. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

RELATED COVERAGE:

Police said the driver, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and faces two counts of vehicular homicide, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and use of alcohol in a motor vehicle. He was jailed pending a hearing on Sept. 13.