According to reports, Johnny Gaudreau and his brother died not too long ago. Information revealing the sad news has been circulated online.
On Thursday evening, August 29, at around 8:30 p.m., NHL player Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, sadly lost their lives after being hit by a passing car in Oldmans Township. The brothers were riding bikes on Stumpy Lane, a rural road in New Jersey, when the tragedy happened, according to the authorities.
The Columbus Blue Jackets, Johnny’s hockey team, announced his passing on X earlier today, August 30. The lengthy message expresses the team’s astonishment and devastation at hearing the tragic news.
Boasting about how incredible of a player and person Johnny was, their statement divulged, “Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.”
Columbus Blue Jackets statement on the passing of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew. pic.twitter.com/V2aFykgKIs
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) August 30, 2024
They continue by highlighting Johnny’s contagious delight, which was evident to all those who witnessed the late superstar play. Everywhere Johnny went, he brought his A-game and his love for the game.
He played hockey for Boston College, the Calgary Flames, Team USA, and finally the Blue Jackets, where he was the winger.
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“The impact he had on our organization and our sport was profound, but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on everyone who knew him,” mentioned the Columbus Blue Jackets in their statement.
The mourning squad continued by expressing how much they and their community miss the superstar athlete. They concluded by pleading with the public to offer prayers for the Gaudreau family, who are going through an unfathomable loss.
The Columbus Blue Jackets also requested that the privacy of the grieving family be honored. Similar to how Johnny’s hockey team released a statement following his death, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also spoke briefly about the tragedy.
In a lengthy message posted on the NHL’s official PR page, he highlighted the amazing legacy that Johnny has left as one of the “brightest young stars” in the league over his remarkable 11 NHL seasons.
“We send our most [heartfelt] condolences to his wife Meredith; their children, Noa and Johnny; his parents, Guy and Jane; and sisters Kristen and Katie,” wrote Gary at the end of his statement.
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The tragic news of Johnny and Matthew’s deaths was revealed after the tragedy was originally reported in a number of publications. But at that point, Johnny and Matthew were not yet known to be the two victims.
The situation was covered in a CBS Action News broadcast, which also revealed that the driver of the car that struck Johnny and Matthew had remained at the site following the collision, according to the New Jersey State Police. Authorities also disclosed that they thought the motorist was impaired.
X was also ablaze with announcements about the accident. A woman named Elaine Shircliff posted, “Spoke with the New Jersey State Police and was informed they are getting bombarded with phone calls and cannot release any information at this time.”
She went on to say that they were unable to verify or refute the reports claiming that Johnny and his brother were the two victims.
But Steve Franklin, a different X user, posted his own update the same day Elaine tweeted hers. According to Steve’s update, his brother—a Salem County, New Jersey, police officer—confirmed to him that the deceased was, in fact, both his brother and the late NHL player.
Retired NHL referee Tim Peel took to X following this tweet, saying, “It is reported that a drunk driver killed Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew [tonight]. Please hope this isn’t the case.”
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