Thousands Participate in Gaudreau Family 5K Walk and Run Honoring Brothers John and Matthew
Thousands gather in Washington Lake Park for the Gaudreau Family 5K, honoring brothers Johnny and Matthew with hopes of annual remembrance and a new accessible playground.
A somber but hopeful mood filled Washington Lake Park in Sewell, New Jersey, as thousands gathered to honor the legacies of brothers John and Matthew Gaudreau. The inaugural Gaudreau Family 5K Walk/Run and Family Day took place under skies that had threatened rain and storms—until a rainbow emerged Saturday morning, bringing emotional relief to the grieving family and their supporters.
The event, attended by more than 1,100 participants in person and another 1,300 virtually from across the globe, paid tribute to two brothers whose lives were tragically cut short when they were struck by a car while cycling just before their sister’s wedding. Their mother, Jane Gaudreau, described the rainbow as a sign from her sons, providing comfort and hope for the day ahead. “I was so relieved,” she shared. “I was like, ‘Well, there’s my sign.’”
Community support poured in from near and far, with the presence of NHL players like Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk highlighting the far-reaching impact of the Gaudreau family. “You just see the support from this community and from other players as well that are here and traveled in. It just says a lot about Johnny, Matty, their legacy and this family as a whole, how much support they have because they’re such amazing people,” Tkachuk remarked.
Beyond remembrance, the event served a significant purpose: raising money to build an accessible playground at Archbishop Damiano School, where Jane and her daughter Kristen work. It was a dream nurtured by the Gaudreau brothers to honor their grandmother, Marie, who dedicated more than four decades to the school. Following their loss, Jane embraced the cause as a way to channel her grief into meaningful action. Family friend Deb Vasutoro, who proposed the idea for the 5K, explained, “The playground has been a project for, I think, four or five years, and there just never was enough funding. When the boys passed and Jane needed a purpose, she thought, ‘Let’s build the playground.’ It was the perfect marriage of doing something good to honor the boys and seeing children laugh and smile.”
The outpouring of support extended online, with messages flooding in from Columbus and Calgary—NHL cities where John Gaudreau played—and as far away as Ireland and Sweden. Paul O’Connor, a longtime family friend, noted the event’s remarkable reach: “It just keeps growing. And people that couldn’t be here, they’re doing a virtual (5K). If they can’t do either, they’re just throwing money at the cause.”
Emotions ran high as Guy Gaudreau addressed the crowd after running the 5K himself. Fighting back tears, he expressed gratitude: “It really means a lot to Jane and the girls and the family. We miss the boys, and it really means a lot for us to have you here to honor my boys. Thank you.”
The hockey community was deeply represented, with attendees donning jerseys and hoodies bearing the “Johnny Hockey” moniker. NHL players, including Erik Gudbranson, Zach Aston-Reese, Tony DeAngelo, and Buddy Robinson, handed out sticks collected from vigils held in the wake of the tragedy. “Our family wouldn’t have missed this,” Gudbranson said. “Hockey’s a very tight community. It’s still a tragedy. We miss the boys.”
Looking forward, the Gaudreau family hopes to make the walk an annual tradition, possibly expanding to cities with deep ties to John and Matthew. Jane Gaudreau, buoyed by the turnout and support, remarked, “We thought this was such a good thing to honor the boys we want to keep it up. I just think each year it’ll just get better and better.”
