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HOCKEY star Johnny Gaudreau’s sister-in-law revealed the touching gesture he made before his 2021 nuptials.
Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny, 31, and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were tragically killed by an alleged drunk driver just hours before their sister’s wedding.
Johnny Gaudreau’s sister-in-law, Lily Morris, shared a behind-the-scenes snap of Johnny spending time with Morris’ sister, Meredith, and their parents (not pictured)[/caption]
Johnny Gaudreau skates with the puck during the first period of a game against the Buffalo Sabres at Nationwide Arena on February 23, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio[/caption]
Johnny Gaudreau pictured with his wife, Meredith Gaudreau, and two children, Johnny Jr. and Noa Gaudreau[/caption]
Columbus Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau, pictured here with his wife, Meredith Gaudreau, and daughter, Noa Gaudreau[/caption]
Johnny Gaudreauduring the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship match between Sweden and the US on May 10, 2024, in Ostrava, Czech Republic[/caption]
On Saturday, August 31, Lily Morris shared a post on her Instagram Stories, revealing her late brother-in-law’s sweet nature even before his marriage to Meredith.
In the clip, a smiling Johnny sits next to Meredith on a couch, making her and the entire family laugh at his antics.
“One of my favorite memories,” she captioned the post.
“John sneaking out of his own bachelor party and showing up at my parents’ house to be with Meredith,” Lily wrote.
“A small glimpse into how much he loves my sister,” she added.
Lily tagged her sister in the story, and Meredith promptly posted the video on her own Instagram Stories.
“He did this 3 different times,” Meredith wrote, adding a face holding back tears emoji.
In the video, Johnny, outfitted in a pirate’s costume, can be heard shouting out “Luwally!” a sweet family nickname for Lily.
Meredith later shared a clip of an interview Johnny had previously given on her Instagram Stories.
“Idk how I got so lucky. The best guy in the world,” she wrote, adding a white heart emoji to her emotional post.
She wrote that her husband had the “best smile ever,” and that he was truly her “best friend.”
Earlier this week, Meredith also shared two touching tributes to her late husband, calling herself “the luckiest girl in the world to have been yours.”
She also called him “the absolute best dad in the world,” and vowed that the duo’s two children, daughter Noa, 2, and son Johnny Jr., 8 months, were “going to make you proud.”
In a heartbreaking third post, Meredith also touched on Johnny’s relationship with his late brother, Matty.
Full statment from Columbus Blue Jackets
“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy.
“Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.
“We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, their family, and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew.
“Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice. He brought a genuine love for hockey with him everywhere he played from Boston College to the Calgary Flames to Team USA to the Blue Jackets.
“He thrilled fans in a way only Johnny Hockey could. 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.
“Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago, and Columbus welcomed him with open arms. We will miss him terribly and do everything that we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy.
“At this time, we ask for prayers for the Gaudreau family and that their privacy be respected as they grieve.”
“John and Matty. U don’t hear one name without the other,” she wrote.
She added that the duo were always together, joking that they were glued to the hip “even in large group settings.”
“I don’t think John could live a day without you so I’m comforted knowing you are of course together in heaven,” she continued.
“Please continue to take care of John like you always have. I got Madeline and Tripp,” she added, referencing Matthew’s pregnant wife, Madeline, and their unborn child, Tripp.
A GoFundMe established on Madeline’s behalf has raised over $450,000, surpassing its original $30,000 goal.
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY
Johnny and Matthew died in a biking accident in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, on Thursday, August 29.
The duo, who were close to their hometown of Salem County, were set to serve as groomsmen in their sister Katie’s wedding on August 30.
New Jersey State Police revealed that the driver, Sean M. Higgins, was “suspected to be under the influence of alcohol and attempted to pass another car, before fatally hitting the brothers,” as reported by People.
Higgins was arrested and charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, police confirmed.
He was also placed on leave from his job as a financial operations director for Gaudenzia Addiction Treatment and Recovery Centers, the company confirmed in a statement shared with The New York Post.
Flowers, signs, and other memorabilia are laid at a memorial on the steps at the Scotiabank Saddledome on August 31, 2024, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada[/caption]
Columbus Blue Jackets player Johnny Gaudreau looks on during an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, on April 11, 2023, in Philadelphia[/caption]
Shiloh Rivera, facing, mourns with Hylas Stemen at the makeshift memorial set up by fans for NHL star Johnny Gaudreau in Columbus, Ohio, on August 30, 2024[/caption]
