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On Friday, Katie Gaudreau, Johnny Gaudreau's sister, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, expressing her gratitude to the Columbus Blue Jackets. In her post, she thanked the organization for their hospitality and support towards the Gaudreau family during a special ceremony.
"Thank you to the entire Blue Jackets organization for everything," Katie wrote in the caption.
At the season opener, the team honored Johnny and his late brother, Matthew. On Tuesday, Johnny's wife Meredith and their children joined the family on the ice at Nationwide Arena before the game against the Florida Panthers. Katie also mentioned how much the support meant to her parents, sisters, and other family members.
"Thankful for every single one of them fans, staff, coaches, players, wives, and parents for taking the best care of my parents, my sisters, my nieces, and nephews," Katie added.
Her Instagram post clearly shows the strong support the Blue Jackets team has been providing to the Gaudreau family. A banner featuring Johnny’s jersey number 13, was also raised in tribute. The crowd and both teams paused to remember Johnny and Matthew, who tragically died in a cycling accident.
Meredith honors Johnny Gaudreau at Blue Jackets tribute
During the event, a video message from Meredith was also played. She thanked the Blue Jackets' fans, called the "fifth line," for their support. Meredith encouraged everyone to be inspired by Johnny Gaudreau's love for hockey and family. In the video, she expressed her thoughts, saying:
“Hey, fifth line. I want to thank you all for your support through this time. Your outpouring of love has helped our family tremendously. As the team gets ready to take a warm up before the game, I don’t want anyone to be sad."
"I want you all to be inspired by the life that John lived, that means love your family first and foremost. And when it’s time to drop the puck, let’s love the game that John loved. Thank you and go Jackets.”
The players wore special helmets and jerseys featuring Johnny’s number 13 to honor him. Before the game started, both the Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers stood still for 13 seconds in a moment of silence.
Matthew and Johnny Gaudreau died in an accident on August 29, 2024, in New Jersey. They were hit by a driver while cycling. Johnny was 31 and played for the Blue Jackets, while Matthew, 29, had played hockey at Boston College. The driver, Sean Higgins, faces charges and is in jail awaiting trial.
