Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau memorial, funeral announced in NJ

A memorial service and funeral service for brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau are scheduled for Friday and Monday.

Nearly a week ago, the pair in New Jersey for their sister's wedding were struck while riding bicycles on the shoulder of County Route 551 in Oldmans Township.

They were hit by a Jeep driven by Sean M. Higgins, 43, of Woodstown. Higgins remains in custody after requesting a delay in his detention hearing Thursday morning.

First up is a memorial service called “A Quiet Night of Remembrance” on Friday in the gym of Gloucester Catholic High School in Gloucester City from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It is open to the public. Both attended the school and Matthew was the school’s hockey coach.

"The event is open to the Gloucester Catholic family and all residents of the Tri-State area to provide an opportunity for all to pay tribute to Johnny and Matt," the school said on its X account.

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Colorful attire is encouraged

Their funeral is scheduled for Monday at Saint Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Media, Pennsylvania, in a private service that will be live streamed by Johnny's team, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“While they are not from the parish, several members of our community are close to their families, so they have requested to have their joint funeral mass here," the church told Fox 29's Steve Keeley.

Those who attend are encouraged to wear "colorful attire," according to their obituaries.

Contributions in both John and Matthew's memory may be made to the John & Matthew Gaudreau Foundation c/o Lewis Gross, Sports Management 560 Sylvan, Suite 3070 Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 07632.

A remembrance for 13 minutes, 21 seconds

Fans and Blue Jackets players gathered for an emotional candlelight vigil outside the team's arena to remember Johnny and Matthew Wednesday night.

The crowd of roughly a thousand outside Nationwide Arena was encouraged to light their candles at 7:49 p.m. Wednesday. For the next 13:21 minutes — for Johnny's No. 13 jersey and Matthew's No. 21 — they stood in silent remembrance watching a slideshow played of photos showing the siblings from childhood, through their teenage years and into college hockey, the pros, marriages, baptisms and lives filled with joy and love.

Flanked by a memorial 20 feet deep and 40 feet wide of jerseys, candles, balloons, stuffed animals, Gatorade bottles and signage, players including captain Boone Jenner, defenseman Erik Gudbranson and forward Cole Sillinger shared their memories of Johnny Gaudreau.

When the timer finished counting up and candle wax and tears commingled on the bricks outside the arena, chants began: “Johnny Hockey, Johnny Hockey, Johnny Hockey.”

At 8:08, the players moved back inside the building. A similar vigil took place in Calgary, where Johnny Gaudreau played for nearly a decade.

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