SEWELL, N.J. — Following the tragic deaths of brothers John and Matthew Gaudreau, who were killed in a cycling accident just before their sister Katie`s wedding, family friends were with their parents, Guy and Jane, during a rainstorm. After the rain stopped, they saw a double rainbow, which offered a brief moment of peace.
Jane Gaudreau hadn`t seen such a sign since. The day before the inaugural Gaudreau Family 5K Walk/Run and Family Day, hoping for good weather to honor her sons` memory, she sat in their room and asked for a sign. Despite a brief tornado watch the previous night, a rainbow appeared Saturday morning, an hour before the sun came out.
“I was so relieved,” Jane commented. “I felt like, `Okay, there`s my sign.`”
Thousands gathered for the event at Washington Lake Park in southern New Jersey, a place John and Matthew frequently visited as children and close to Hollydell Ice Arena where they began playing hockey. Around 1,100 people participated in person, while over 1,300 joined virtually from the U.S., Canada, and internationally.
Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, one of several NHL players close to the Gaudreaus who attended, remarked, “It really shows what kind of family they are, how close they were, and how loved they were by everyone. The support from this community and fellow players who traveled here speaks volumes about Johnny, Matty, their legacy, and their family`s impact. They are truly amazing people.”
Beyond commemorating the “Johnny Hockey” NHL star and his younger brother Matty, the event aimed to fund an accessible playground at Archbishop Damiano School, where Jane and her daughter Kristen work. This project was something John and Matthew had started championing in memory of their grandmother, Marie, who worked at the school for 44 years before passing away in 2023.
After their deaths, their mother took on the project.
Family friend Deb Vasutoro, who proposed the 5K idea, explained, “Jane works daily with children with disabilities and understood the importance of this playground. It had been planned for four or five years but lacked sufficient funding. When the boys died and Jane needed a focus, she decided, `Let`s build the playground.` It was the perfect way to honor the boys while bringing joy to children.”
According to Rev. Allain Caparas from Gloucester Catholic High School, where the brothers played hockey growing up, fundraising for the playground continues their positive influence. “They are still making a difference in many lives,” Caparas stated. “Johnny and Matthew lived purposefully, and we are now celebrating that.”
Tributes and mentions flooded social media from places like Columbus and Calgary, cities where John Gaudreau played in the NHL, and even from Ireland and Sweden. Paul O`Connor, whose son Dalton was Matthew`s best friend, couldn`t keep up with the volume of notifications about sign-ups and donations.
“It just keeps growing,” O`Connor observed. “People who couldn`t be here are doing the virtual 5K. If they can`t do either, they`re simply donating to the cause.”
Guy and Jane were visibly moved when discussing the event. Guy, after completing the 5K, gave a brief but touching speech to the attendees.
“I want to thank everyone for coming,” Guy said. “It means so much to Jane, the girls, and our family. We miss the boys terribly, and your presence here to honor them truly means a lot. Thank you.”
Among the crowd, visible first in the rain and later the sun, were people wearing gear representing various hockey teams. Tkachuk wore a “Johnny Hockey” hoodie with Gaudreau`s name and number 13. He and fellow players Erik Gudbranson, Zach Aston-Reese, Tony DeAngelo, and Buddy Robinson presented hockey sticks, collected from late August/early September vigils, to the race winners.
Gudbranson, who flew in the night before, commented, “Our family wouldn`t have missed this. Hockey is a tight-knit community. It`s still a tragedy, and we miss the boys.”
The organizers intend for this to be an annual event, potentially expanding to locations like Calgary and Columbus.
“We felt this was such a wonderful way to honor the boys that we want to continue it,” Jane shared. “I believe it will just improve year after year.”
Duncan Priestley 
Neville Woodall