The hockey community is mourning the deaths of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, who were killed Thursday night by a suspected drunk driver
Originally appeared on E! Online
Matthew Gaudreau was about to become a dad when he and his brother Johnny Gaudreau were fatally struck by a car in New Jersey.
The 29-year-old's wife Madeline Gaudreau is currently pregnant with the couple's first baby, who will be named Tripp, according to a GoFundMe page set up by family Aug. 30.
"We are heartbroken to share the devastating news that the Gaudreau family has experienced a tragic and unfathomable loss," fundraiser's description read. "On August 29, 2024, a car accident took the lives of Matthew and his brother John."
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In a photo from a recent bachelorette party for sister-in-law Katie Gaudreau, Madeline appeared to cradle her baby bump as she posed with other guests.
Matthew and Johnny, 31, were riding on bikes on a rural road at around 8 p.m. when they were hit from the back by a Jeep Grand Cherokee attempting to pass to another vehicle, Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron of the New Jersey State Police told E! News in a statement.
The driver of the jeep — identified as 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins — is suspected of "being under the influence of alcohol" at the time of the incident, police said. He has been charged with two counts of death by auto.
E! News has reached out to Higgins' attorney for comment but has not yet heard back. During an Aug. 30 arraignment, Higgins — then represented by a public defender — said he planned to obtain private counsel, per NBC News.
Matthew and Madeline were together for 11 years before his passing. They started dating in February 2013 when Matthew was playing hockey for Boston College alongside Johnny, who went on to be drafted by the Calgary Flames in 2014 and by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022.
The couple got married on in July 17, 2021 and Johnny followed suit nearly two months later, tying the knot with his wife Meredith Gaudreau on Sept. 4, 2021.
Johnny and Meredith welcomed their first baby — a daughter named Noa Harper — in September 2022. They became two-time parents earlier this year, when Meredith gave birth to son Johnny Edward in February.
In the wake of the Gaudreau brothers' passing, their uncle Jim Gaudreau shared a statement on behalf of the family mourning the deaths of "two amazing humans."
"We want to let everyone know we are receiving your messages of love and support and we appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers," he wrote on Facebook. "We ask for your continued respect and privacy during this very difficult period of grief."
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