Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were just hours away from being by their younger sister’s side as she married her high school sweetheart when they were fatally struck while riding their bicycles.
The duo tragically died while riding their bikes in Oldmans Township, Salem County, shortly before 8:30 p.m. Thursday night.
Earlier in the day, Katie Gaudreau and her fiancé, Devin Joyce, had their wedding rehearsal, eagerly awaiting their nuptials, which were set to begin at 1:45 p.m. on Friday.
They had been sharing snippets of their fairytale love story for months leading up to the big day.
Johnny and his brother Matthew were killed on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding to her partner Devin Joyce (Pictured: Katie and Devin rehearsing for their wedding)
Johnny’s daughter Noa was set to be the flower girl at Katie and Devin’s wedding (pictured here are Katie and Devin with Noa when she was born)
NHL star Johnny, 31, and his 29-year-old brother were set to be groomsmen at the wedding.
They had known Devin since he was a teenager and a junior, when Katie asked him to her school’s Sadie Hawkins dance, which required girls to make the first move.
Less than a year later, the teens made it official and often went on spontaneous dates on the beach.
The couple has been together for all of their biggest moments: Devin’s prom, Katie’s graduation, and most recently, Devin’s final hockey game in 2023.
Devin proposed in May 2023, when they returned to college to celebrate “coming full circle.”
As well as being part of the bridal party, it was set to be a very special day for Johnny, who would have seen his almost two-year-old daughter Noa walk down the aisle as a flower girl.
His six-month-old son, Johnny, was to be the ring bearer, and his wife Meredith was Katie’s maid of honor.
She had recently enjoyed her bachelorette party in Florida.
Her mother, three bridesmaids, six maids of honor, and her mother-in-law threw her the “bachelorette party of her dreams.”
Just three days ago, Katie shared her excitement ahead of the big day on Facebook, with a post that read: ‘Wedding week!!!
“Who tells these 16 and 17 year olds that they’re getting married in four days? I can’t wait to marry my best friend!”
She had recently enjoyed her bachelorette party in Florida and her mother, three bridesmaids, six maids of honor, and her mother-in-law organized her “the bachelorette party of her dreams.”
Instead of celebrating the happiest moment of her life with her siblings today at 1.45pm as planned, she and her family are now grieving the double tragedy.
The two brothers were struck and killed by another vehicle on Pennsville Auburn Road near Stumpy Lane.
Instead of celebrating the happiest moment of her life with her siblings at 1.45pm today as planned, she and her family are now grieving the double tragedy.
Matthew (left) and Johnny (right) both plied their trade on the ice at Boston College.
The driver, Sean M. Higgins, 43, of Woodstown, New Jersey (pictured), is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. He has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide without bail.
The driver, Sean M. Higgins, 43, of Woodstown, New Jersey, is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. He has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide without bail.
In a statement to DailyMail.com, New Jersey State Police troopers confirmed they responded to a single-vehicle crash at 8:19 p.m. on County Route 551 North, mile marker 11.1 Oldmans Township, Salem County.
‘Sean M. Higgins, a 43-year-old man from Woodstown, NJ, was traveling northbound on CR 551 in a Jeep Grand Cherokee behind a sedan and an SUV. Higgins attempted to pass the slower moving sedan and SUV, entered the southbound travel lanes, passed the slower moving sedan, and attempted to re-enter the northbound travel lanes when the SUV in front of Higgins moved into the middle of the roadway, splitting the northbound and southbound lanes to safely pass the two bicyclists who were traveling northbound on the right side of the roadway.
The hockey player’s wife gave birth to their son Johnny just six months ago.
‘Higgins then attempted to overtake the SUV on the right and hit the two cyclists from behind. As a result of the collision, both cyclists suffered fatal injuries.
‘Through further investigation, Higgins was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, he was charged with two counts of death by motor vehicle accident and booked into the Salem County Correctional Center. This accident remains an active investigation.’
Columbus released a statement confirming the death of their player on Friday morning, saying he will be “terribly missed” and expressed condolences to his family.
“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy,” the statement read.
“Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but most importantly, a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, family and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew.”