"Even on the days I smile": Johnny Gaudreau's mother Jane pens emotional note in memory of late sons Johnny and Matthew

Johnny Gaudreau’s mother, Jane, shared an emotional message on her Instagram Friday in memory of her late sons, Johnny and Matthew. The story featured a touching note addressed to “John & Matty,” expressing how deeply she misses them every day.

Jane Gaudreau reposted a graphic shared by the Instagram account "3213 Keepsake Lane" with the text:

“I miss you... Even on the days I smile. Even on the days I laugh. Even on the days I feel okay. Even when it looks like I'm doing fine. I miss you—always.”

In her own stories, Jane started by writing:

“Dear John & Matty,”

She ended it with:

“Love, Mom.”

Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed on Aug. 29 last year in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, when a reported drunk driver, Sean M. Higgins, struck them while they were bicycling on the roadside the evening before their sister Katie’s wedding. Higgins was charged with vehicular homicide, manslaughter, reckless driving, evidence tampering and leaving the scene.

In January, he pleaded not guilty and rejected a 35-year plea deal. On June 13, the court held a case management hearing, and the proceedings are still underway. If proven guilty, Higgins could face up to 70 years in prison.

Johnny Gaudreau's sister Katie paid tributes to her brothers on her wedding day

Nearly a year after postponing her wedding due to the tragic deaths of her brothers Johnny and Matthew, Katie Gaudreau tied the knot with partner Devin Joyce on July 11 in Gloucester City, New Jersey. The ceremony took place at St. Mary’s Church, followed by a reception at The Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia.

Katie incorporated several tributes to her brothers on her special day. Her veil was embroidered with their handwritten notes, her bouquet featured 21 and 13 roses to match their jersey numbers, and her bridesmaids carried reversed versions of the floral arrangement.

Her father and the groomsmen wore socks marked with “13” and “21,” while the inside of her father’s suit jacket carried cherished photos of Johnny and Matthew.

One widely shared clip from the afterparty showed Katie recreating Johnny’s signature dance while the original video of him played on a screen behind her in memory of her brother.

About the author

Anjum is an NHL reporter at Sportskeeda with over five years of professional experience in the spectator sports industry. Raised in Bahrain, Anjum grew up close to the Formula 1 and GP2 scene, but it was ice-sports that she truly had a chance to play at school.

Anjum prioritizes thorough research, fact-checking and verification of sources when reporting, and has worked for Oil on Whyte, Leafs Herald, the Nation of Blaugrana, Barca International Cules, FromTheBend, Last Word On Sports and NASA.

She got interested in ice hockey after watching the “MVP” trilogy as a second grader and has not gotten over the sport yet. Her favorite player is Alex Ovechkin, whose legendary one-timers live rent free in her heart. The iconic moment when Ovechkin reached 800 career goals with a hat trick in Chicago as the away crowd chanted “Ovi, Ovi” is probably her happiest memory from an ice-rink.

When not enjoying the game, Anjum can be found sailing, star-mapping or collaborating with fellow citizen scientists at NASA.

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Edited by Anjum Rajonno