Jerry York, the previous coach of Columbus Blue Jackets participant Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau, is reacting to their deaths.
York described the brothers’ deaths as a “nightmare” in an interview with CNN on Friday, Aug. 30.
“This morning I obtained woken up by one among my former assistants, Mike Galvanar, who simply knowledgeable me of what occurred,” the previous Boston Faculty males’s hockey coach advised the outlet, including, “… I used to be simply beside myself.”
Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, died in a biking accident near their hometown of Salem County, New Jersey, on Thursday, Aug. 29, PEOPLE beforehand confirmed. They had been within the space to seem as groomsmen at their sister’s marriage ceremony the next day.
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York recalled extra reminiscences of the brothers and their household in his dialog with CNN, telling the outlet, “I like the household … [They] got here to each sport. To attempt to think about what their household goes by … it is simply so tough for me. However they’re an exquisite household.”
He then known as the brothers’ mother Jane and pop Man “Corridor of Fame dad and mom” who “had been all the time entrance and middle” at their matches. “[They] produced two sons that left a outstanding mark on Boston school college students, athletes and alumni. Simply terrific younger guys,” mirrored York.
The previous coach additionally stated that Johnny and Matthew’s deaths have left everyone within the hockey group “shocked.”
“All people’s shocked from Olympic teammates, to Calgary teammates, to Columbus teammates, to all of Boston Faculty right here,” York advised CNN. “… ‘Johnny Hockey,’ as all of them fondly known as him, and his youthful brother Matt had been simply hockey folks. They cherished hockey.”
The previous coach subsequent described the brothers as “outstanding” on the hockey pitch. He concluded, “God, I miss them already.”
Charles Krupa/AP
Johnny and Matthew had been biking on Nation Route 551 North simply after 8 p.m. on Aug. 29 when a driver fatally hit them after trying to move one other automotive, New Jersey State Police beforehand advised PEOPLE.
The motive force, Sean M. Higgins, was suspected to be drunk, and he was charged with two counts of demise by auto and arrested. An investigation is ongoing.
The brothers performed at Boston Faculty earlier than Johnny went professional and was drafted by the Calgary Flames in 2014. After eight seasons with the crew, he signed a seven-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022.
Matthew, in the meantime, performed for a number of minor league groups, and within the final two years, he was head coach of their highschool crew, Gloucester Catholic Excessive in New Jersey, per Elite Prospects.
Matty Gaudreau/instagram
In a press release on X (previously Twitter) on Friday, Aug. 30, the Blue Jackets wrote, “The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy.”
They added, “Johnny was not solely an awesome hockey participant, however extra considerably a loving husband, father, son, brother and buddy.”
Johnny is survived by his spouse, Meredith, and their two kids, daughter Noa, who turns 2 in October, and son Johnny, 7 months.
Matthew is survived by his spouse Madeline, who’s at present pregnant and anticipating their first child.
