Johnny Gaudreau's mother Jane pens emotional message on International Bereaved Mother's Day in memory of late sons Johnny and Matthew

Late NHL stars Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew died in a tragic road accident last year in August. Since then, the Gaudreau family has been paying special tributes to the memory of their loved ones.

On Sunday, Johnny Gaudreau’s mother Jane shared a poster in memory of her last sons on her Instagram story, remembering them on International Bereaved Mother’s Day. In the caption, she wrote:

“Missing you both every single minute of every single day,” followed by two red hearts.

via Instagram/@jgaudreau311

International Bereaved Mother’s Day is observed on the first Sunday of May. The day is to commemorate mothers who have lost a child, originally started in 2010 by Carly Marie Dudley after losing her stillborn son.

“International Bereaved Mother’s Day. Sunday, May 4, 2025. Today we remember our children who are gone from this world, but not from our hearts. Today I say, ‘I am a Mother to an Angel. My Child is in Heaven’,” read the original poster Jane Gaudreau shared on her story.

Johnny and Matthew were hit by a truck driven by an allegedly drunk driver while the brothers were biking in New Jersey, the evening before their sister Katie’s wedding. The driver Sean Higgins was charged with multiple offenses, including aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide.

In January this year, Higgins rejected a 35-year plea deal and could face up to 70 years in prison if proven guilty. The next court hearing is scheduled for June 10, 2025.

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Johnny Gaudreau’s wife Meredith ‘brought to tears’ by Johnny hockey chants

Earlier this week, Johnny Gaudreau’s wife Meredith Gaudreau reacted to a touching fan tribute by Columbus Blue Jackets fans honoring her late husband. A fan account posted a video on Instagram showing a special moment from April 17, when CBJ fans at Nationwide Arena loudly chanted “Johnny Hockey” during the team’s final game of the season.

Meredith saw the clip and reshared it on her Instagram story. In the caption, she mentioned that it brought tears to her eyes.

“Just seeing this. Brought tears to my eyes that night.”

Since the tragic death of the Gaudrea brothers, the hockey community and the Columbus Blue Jackets have paid many tributes in their memory throughout the 2024-25 season. The Blue Jackets wore helmet stickers with Johnny’s name and number, and all players had a patch with his number 13 on their jerseys.

At the season opener, a tribute video was played on the jumbotron, a memorial display was set up and a banner with his number was raised to the rafters. In March 2025, during the Stadium Series game against the Red Wings, both teams wore special Gaudreau-themed gear and played another tribute video while the Gaudreau family was in attendance.