GoFundMe for Matthew Gaudreau’s widow raises more than $500K

Extra tributes are pouring in from across the hockey group after the deaths of NHL participant Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew, who have been killed final week by a suspected drunken driver whereas using their bikes of their house state of New Jersey.

Jaromir Jagr posted a video Tuesday on social media of Gaudreau helping on his 766th and last objective within the league once they have been teammates with the Calgary Flames in 2018.

“It was a lovely move above all,” Jagr wrote in Czech. “Sadly, life might be generally unbelievably merciless. Thanks, Johnny Gaudreau, that you just have been right here and also you gave hope to all these guys by your unbelievable performances that they will succeed on the world class degree within the NHL as you managed to do. My sincerely condolences to your loved ones. R.I.P. to you and your brother.”

Donations additionally continued to pile as much as help Matthew’s widow, Madeline, who’s pregnant with the couple’s first youngster, due in December. A GoFundMe arrange by Madeline’s sister Holland Korbitz and verified by the web fundraising firm raised greater than $550,000 as of 4 p.m. EDT Tuesday.

Dozens of present and former gamers from across the league, or their important others, are listed among the many greater than 7,700 donors, together with $3,000 from the household of New York Rangers ahead Artemi Panarin and $2,013 from Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars, for a complete of $552,554 — nicely past the preliminary $30,000 objective.

Cliff Rucker, proprietor of the ECHL’s Worcester Railers HC for whom Matthew performed two seasons from 2017-19, is listed as the highest donor at $10,000.

“Maddy, the complete Railers HC household stands shoulder to shoulder with you throughout this incomprehensibly troublesome time for you and your family members,” Rucker commented. “You and Matty will all the time be a part of our Railer household, and I hope you’ll be able to really feel the love and help we’re sending your approach.”

The Gaudreau brothers have been biking on a highway in Oldmans Township on Thursday night time when a person driving an SUV in the identical course tried to move two different autos and struck them from behind about 8 p.m., in response to New Jersey State Police. They have been pronounced lifeless on the scene.

Police mentioned the motive force, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being drunk and charged with two counts of demise by auto, together with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motorcar. On Tuesday, police mentioned nothing extra in regards to the case, together with Higgin’s blood alcohol degree, was being launched at the moment.

No details about a funeral or memorial companies, public or non-public, was instantly out there.

Followers in Columbus on Friday made a memorial out of hockey sticks, flowers and different mementos exterior the Blue Jackets’ downtown enviornment. Flames followers in Calgary, Alberta, additionally paid tribute with messages and Gaudreau’s No. 13 written in chalk on the bottom exterior the Saddledome.

The Blue Jackets mentioned followers are invited to a candlelight vigil on Wednesday night time exterior Nationwide Enviornment, which is able to embody transient remarks from members of the group in addition to 13 minutes, 21 seconds of silent remembrance for the jersey numbers worn by Johnny and Matthew.

“Janet, myself and our total household are devastated at this mindless tragedy,” Wayne Gretzky posted on social media over Labor Day weekend. “We’re sending our love, ideas and prayers to the Gaudreau household. We misplaced two nice younger males who have been liked and an enormous presence each on and off the ice. Johnny and Matthew, you’ll all the time be remembered and missed.”

Their deaths on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding ceremony scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia transcended hockey. Play-by-play broadcaster Bob Wischusen provided somber phrases about Johnny and Matthew throughout ESPN’s school soccer broadcast of the sport Monday night time between Florida State and Boston Faculty, the college the Gaudreau brothers attended and performed hockey collectively at for one season a decade in the past.

“All the Nationwide Hockey League, in addition to the Boston Faculty group and so many others, have been devastated Friday once we realized of the deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau,” Wischusen mentioned. “Our hearts are shattered, and we ship each good thought and prayer to their wives, Johnny Gaudreau’s younger youngsters, Matthew’s youngster on the best way and all of their household and buddies.”

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Related Press writers Bruce Shipkowski in New Jersey and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report.

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