Following the death of Columbus Blue Jackets star Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau after being struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver on the eve of his brother's wedding, Gaudreau's future brother-in-law has penned a heartfelt eulogy vowing to give his sister “the absolute best care.”
“They say when you find your soul mate, you not only marry them, but their family too. I never said that but I love you guys so much,” Devin Joyce wrote on Instagram after marrying his fiancée, Katie Gaudreau, on Tuesday. The wedding was cancelled Friday, August 30th.
“I have been so blessed to call you both my brothers for so long. There isn't a moment when I look at Katie and don't see you two,” Joyce wrote alongside a photo of the family.
“I promise you we will give your sister the absolute best care, and when that day comes, I know you'll be there with us.”
Joyce and Katie Gaudreau, who is also a hockey player, were scheduled to be married in Gloucester City, New Jersey, on Friday, but the ceremony was canceled with just a day's notice following the brother's shocking death.
Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were killed while riding their bicycles in Salem County, New Jersey, when they were struck by a vehicle suspected to be drunk driving.
Their grieving sister also posted a tribute to the brothers on Instagram, writing: “To know these two was to love them. Words cannot express the bond their family shared.”
“The world knows there would be no John without Mattie and no Mattie without John. They are the best big brothers a little girl could ask for,” she wrote.
“This will never be a breakup post because I will never stop calling out your names and honoring you both. Mommy, Daddy, Kristen, Mar, Madeline and your babies are all my cherish.”
His brothers were to serve as groomsmen at the ceremony, while his other sister, Kristen Venero, was to serve as bridesmaid.
Sean Higgins, 43, of Woodstown, New Jersey, was arrested on suspicion of DUI and charged with two counts of causing death by motor vehicle.
Police said Higgins struck the brothers, who were on bicycles, from behind and was attempting to pass two vehicles travelling slowly.
Johnny leaves behind his wife Meredith and two children, Noah, almost 2, and Johnny, 6 months old.
Matthew's wife, Madeline Gaudreau, is pregnant with the couple's first child, Baby Trip, who is due in December, Gaudreau's sister wrote in a GoFundMe post.
Jonny played nine seasons with the Calgary Flames before signing a seven-year contract with the Blue Jackets in July 2022.
Matthew is also a hockey player, most recently playing for the Worcester Railers.
