The funeral for John and Matthew Gaudreau is set for Monday at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Media, Pennsylvania, while the driver charged with their deaths remains in custody.
John Gaudreau, a former NHL player for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and his brother Matthew were struck by a suspected drunk driver while riding their bicycles in New Jersey, just before their sister’s wedding.
The service will be streamed on the Blue Jackets’ website. The accused driver, Sean M. Higgins, 43, faces two counts of death by auto, reckless driving, possession of an open container, and consuming alcohol in a vehicle.
He appeared virtually at a pretrial hearing on Thursday, where the judge postponed proceedings until Sept. 13. Higgins is being held in a Salem County jail, and his attorneys, Matthew Portella and Richard Klineburger III, have issued a statement asking for patience as the legal process unfolds.
The Gaudreau brothers were well-known in the hockey community, with John, also called “Johnny Hockey,” playing for Boston College before his professional career. Family, friends, and colleagues from the hockey world are expected to attend the funeral, including NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the Blue Jackets team, led by General Manager Don Waddell.
In a letter posted on social media, Rev. Eric J. Banecker of St. Mary Magdalen announced that the school would close Monday due to the expected size of the funeral. He expressed concerns over safety and acknowledged the significance of the event for the family and the community.
Tributes have been held in Columbus, Ohio, and Calgary, Alberta, where fans gathered for candlelight vigils in memory of the brothers. In Columbus, a 13-minute, 21-second moment of silence was observed, during which a slideshow of the Gaudreau brothers’ lives was displayed. In Calgary, fans chanted John Gaudreau’s nickname, “Johnny,” outside the arena where he played for the Flames.
The brothers’ longtime agent, Lewis Gross, took to social media to share his feelings, saying his relationship with the Gaudreau family extended far beyond hockey. Gross announced that contributions to the newly established John & Matthew Gaudreau Foundation could be made through his management firm.
USA Hockey also acknowledged the tragedy, with Executive Director Pat Kelleher offering condolences while introducing the 2024 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame class. Kevin Stevens, one of the inductees, reflected on the heartbreak of the past week, calling the loss “unimaginable.”
The investigation and legal process for the crash are ongoing as the Gaudreau family prepares to lay John and Matthew to rest.
