At Gaudreau Family 5K, memory of late brothers Johnny and Matthew shines bright: ‘The boys are here'
SEWELL, N.J. — In the hour before the Gaudreau Family 5K on Saturday morning, with the sidewalk still wet from a rainstorm the previous night, hundreds and hundreds of participants filed into Washington Lake Park and headed toward a clearing where the race was to begin.
A rainbow in the sky greeted all of them.
Advertisement
'The boys are here,' said Deb Vasaturo, one of the event organizers.
Nine months ago, mere days after John and Matthew Gaudreau were struck and killed by an SUV driver while riding bicycles together on Aug. 29, a group of close friends, including Vasaturo, had gathered at the family home in Penns Grove, N.J., hoping to offer support to the brothers' parents, Jane and Guy. That day, a double rainbow had split through the sky — a tiny comfort in a period of unimaginable grief.
The 31-year-old John, better known as Johnny among fans, was playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets when he and 29-year-old Matthew died, and Zach Aston-Reese felt his presence throughout the NHL season. In February, on the first birthday of John's oldest son, a beautiful sunset graced Columbus; late in the season, before a must-win road game for the Blue Jackets, a rainbow appeared above the Philadelphia Flyers' arena. He was touched again when another rainbow emerged before the 5K, as throngs of runners and walkers gathered for the race.
'It's almost a year since (the accident), but I think it's something that can take a lifetime to heal from,' Aston-Reese said. 'Any time you get a chance to support, especially the bigger events, it's really special.'
Around 1,100 people signed up for either the competitive 5K, which kicked off at 8 a.m., or a more casual 8:45 a.m. race of the same distance. Kids had their chance to compete in a one-mile run later in the morning. Multiple race participants wore jerseys of John, a seven-time NHL All-Star nicknamed Johnny Hockey, who played for the Calgary Flames and Blue Jackets. Some also wore gear for Matthew, who reached the AHL after a four-year career at Boston College and most recently suited up with the ECHL's Worcester Railers in 2021-22.
The park was alive with activity throughout the morning. One tent showcased signed jerseys up for a silent auction, as kids played lawn games nearby. Baskets sitting on the covered stage were raffled off. Below them, attendees wrote memories and messages of support for the Gaudreau family on a big white banner.
Advertisement
The event raised money for an adaptive playground at Archbishop Damiano, a special education school in Westville, N.J. The Gaudreau family has deep family connections with the school: Jane's brother has special needs, and their mother worked there for more than 40 years. All four of the Gaudreau kids — Kristen, John, Matthew and Katie — have either volunteered for or worked at the school too.
'The playground has been a project for I think four or five years, and there just never was enough funding,' Vasaturo said. '(The 5K) was a perfect marriage of doing something good to honor the boys and seeing children laugh and smile.'
Jane, Guy, Kristen and Katie were present throughout. Both boys loved children, Jane said, so seeing all the smiling kids would have been everything they would've wanted in the event. 'I think they would just be so proud of us that we did (this),' she said.
Guy noted that Matthew would have run the 5K and won. He frequently beat John in off-ice exercises growing up, leaving his older brother 'so mad he couldn't see straight,' their dad said with fondness.
Professional hockey players went out of their way to attend as well. South Jersey natives Buddy Robinson, who played 62 NHL games and is now in the KHL, and Tony DeAngelo, who played with the New York Islanders this past season, were both there. Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, a teammate of John Gaudreau's for the United States at the World Championships last summer, traveled from his offseason home on the Jersey Shore and wore a black sweatshirt that read 'Johnny Hockey.' Aston-Reese and Erik Gudbranson represented the Blue Jackets.
'Our family wouldn't have missed this,' said Gudbranson, who came with his wife and kids straight from a trip to Disney World. 'There's no way.'
In the aftermath of John and Matthew's deaths, the Gaudreau family's friends wanted to find ways to help. Vasaturo initially thought of the charity 5K. When she approached Guy and Jane in October, Jane thought it was a wonderful idea but felt the family didn't have the emotional bandwidth to provide much help.
Advertisement
That wasn't an issue. Their friends — a committee of around 18 people — took care of it all.
'They did everything, organized everything,' Guy said. 'They just wanted us to be here.'
Community members beyond the committee, including Aston-Reese, helped too. The Blue Jackets forward studied graphic design while playing college hockey at Northeastern University, and one of Jane's friends reached out and asked him to create the event logo. Honored, the Blue Jackets forward came up with a design — two interlocking hockey sticks with doves above them and the Gaudreau family name across the middle — that ultimately went on the race shirts and medals.
'It was pretty surreal pulling in and seeing everyone with their shirts on and the logo you created,' Aston-Reese said.
Along with the race in Sewell, more than 1,300 people signed up to compete in a virtual 5K, with participants across the U.S. and Canada, as well as in multiple other countries, including Ireland, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates. Florida Panthers players, who are preparing for the Stanley Cup Final, participated from Fort Lauderdale.
'Thursday, yesterday and even this morning I woke up, (and) I can't clean out my inbox because I get all the notices of all the donations and all the registrations,' said Paul O'Connor, an organizing committee member whose son was a childhood friend of Matthew. 'It just keeps growing.'
Jane Gaudreau said it was emotional pulling into the park and seeing how many people were there. She and Guy initially expected the 5K to draw maybe 100 or 200 people. To see it balloon into an event with more than 1,000 was 'overwhelming, but in a good way,' she said.
After the races, the family stood on stage for an award ceremony. The public address announcer listed off the overall top finishers, then the winners of each age group. The NHL players on hand presented awards: In place of trophies, each person received a gift card and one of the hockey sticks left at public memorials after John and Matthew's deaths.
'Just to be able to show support for this amazing family and see this amazing turnout, it was pretty great to be a part of,' said Tkachuk, who walked the more casual 5K. 'I'm just so thankful they had me here.'
Every finisher received a medal that read '1st annual 5K run/walk,' indicating Saturday wasn't a one-off event, and indeed the current plan is to continue it in the future. Jane has seen messages asking if the family would host the race in Calgary or Columbus, which has given her ideas. She saw requests from Calgary first, so she said she'll perhaps run next year as a virtual participant with people there.
Advertisement
But this year the Gaudreaus were home in New Jersey, only a five-minute drive from Hollydell Ice Arena, the rink where the boys spent countless hours as kids. Jane stood near the end of the course as the fastest runners wrapped up the competitive race. She clapped and whooped as they neared the finish line.
Guy, meanwhile, ran the race. He wore a bright orange long-sleeved shirt, and the crowd burst into applause when the public address announcer pointed him out as he came around the final turn. Vasaturo, the friend whose idea led to Saturday's event, cheered and cheered from the stage.
'His strength and Jane's strength and their resiliency is just amazing,' she said. 'We just want to be there and help them along the way, take these steps with them.'
(Top photo of the Gaudreau family and NHL players: Gillian Kocher / Gaudreau Family 5K)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Miami Hurricanes Potential Playoff Berth in 2025 Hinges on Just one Player
Miami Hurricanes Potential Playoff Berth in 2025 Hinges on Just one Player originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Miami Hurricanes defense, specifically their pass defense, failed not only coach Mario Cristobal, but they also failed the fans by missing a chance to win the ACC title and earn a berth in the expanded college football playoff in 2024. Advertisement But Cristobal addressed that issue in this offseason by raiding the transfer portal for talented players that can defend against the pass. According to Carter Bahns of the one player that is the x-factor for the Hurricanes to make the playoffs this season is, surprisingly, transfer cornerback Xavier Lucas. Lucas recorded just one INT to go with 18 tackles and two pass breakups at Wisconsin a season ago. Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Xavier Lucas (6) celebrates with cornerback Max Lofy (12) following an Hanisch-USA TODAY Sport With that said, the x-factor is not Lucas at all. That moniker should fall squarely on the shoulders (and the surgically repaired throwing elbow) of former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck. Advertisement Beck passed for over 3,400-yards a season ago. He also threw 12 interceptions, eight of which were thrown over three consecutive games. Beck transferred after suffering the season-ending elbow injury. Then, Miami swooped in with millions and lured Beck to Florida. After an offseason of injury rehab and way-too-many distractions, Beck must step up and show what he can do at the most important position on the field during fall camp and during the season. Anything less than a conference championship and a playoff berth in 2025 will be a bust for the Hurricanes. Related: For Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes, Trouble Could Be Ahead in 2025 This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Top Steelers NFL draft prospect LaNorris Sellers passes up huge NIL deal
The top priority of the Pittsburgh Steelers scouting staff this college football season is to sort out what is already shaping up to be an elite quarterback class for the 2026 NFL draft. Thanks to the ridiculous nature of NIL money, the NFL now has another aspect of players to track and that's their loyalty to their team as opposed to making fast money in college football. One of the top quarterback prospects in the upcoming draft is LaNorris Sellers out of South Carolina. News came out about Sellers this week and thanks to some intervention by his dad, Sellers chose to pass up $8 million over two years in NIL money to stay. According to Sellers' dad, there were multiple schools bidding for his services, but he showed maturity and loyalty by staying, which is a huge green flag for an NFL team. Advertisement From a football standpoint, Sellers is poised for a huge breakout season. His athleticism and mobility are already off the charts and as the season progressed, we saw his pocket presence and processing speed improve drastically down the stretch. Sellers and Clemson's Cade Klubnik are my top two options for the Steelers and this move by Sellers just helps his case. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers NFL draft prospect LaNorris Sellers passes up huge NIL deal
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Huge 2026 NFL mock draft update rebuilds Steelers offense
We are a month away from the start of NFL training camps and just after that, the college football season will kick off. So we thought now was the perfect time to update our five-round mock draft for the 2026 NFL draft. As things stand right now, we have five quarterbacks with a first-round grade and depending how the college season plays out, there should be a potential franchise quarterback on the board when the Steelers pick in the first round. This time around we utilized the mock draft simulator from Mock Draft Database that utilizes projected compensatory picks and very up to date prospect rankings. First round - QB Fernando Mendoza - Indiana The Steelers pick No. 15 overall in this mock and a run on quarterbacks leave them with Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. He's not a household name yet but by the time the draft gets here, he should be one of the first four quarterbacks off the board. Second round - CB Jalon Kilgore - South Carolina Kilgore has prototypical NFL size and athleticism and showed a ton of growth last season in his coverage technique. Third round - TE Max Klare - Purdue We are rooting for Darnell Washington but if tight end becomes a bigger part of the offense, a pick like Klare as a receiving weapon makes a lot of sense. Third round - WR Nic Anderson - LSU Anderson is healthy and getting a fresh start at LSU. He is good at everything and has no real glaring weaknesses to his game. Third round - RB Jonah Coleman - Washington If Jaylen Warren leaves after the season, the Steelers will need to add a back to go with Kaleb Johnson. Coleman is a powerful, squatty back with impressive balance truly elite vision with sneaky athleticism. Fourth round - OT Drew Shelton - Penn State Massive powerfuly run blocker who just overwhelms defenders with his size and power. Fourth round - S Keon Sabb - Alabama Exceptional developmental safety who might end up going much sooner than this if he can develop more in coverage Fifth round - IOL - Febechi Nwaiwu - Oklahoma Nwaiwu transfered to Oklahoma last season and after he got up to speed, really looked good as the team's starting right tackle. We expect him to make another big jump in 2025 and he could be Isaac Seumalos' replacement. Fifth round - WR Germie Bernard - Alabama Alabama is Bernard's third FBS team in four seasons. He's not spectacular in any area but he's found a way to develop as a really reliable possession receiver if he can just have some stability in coaching and scheme. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: 2026 NFL mock draft lands Steelers Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza
