Columbus Blue Jackets to hold vigil for Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Gaudreau
The Blue Jackets are inviting fans to remember Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, with a candlelight vigil Wednesday night at Nationwide Arena.
The memorial will begin at 7:30 p.m. and be held on the Front St. Plaza outside the east entrance. The Gaudreau brothers were killed while biking last Thursday in a tragic collision on a two-lane road in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, which is near their hometown.
More: Meredith Gaudreau remembers Johnny Gaudreau: 'Thank you for the best years of my life'
Sean M. Higgins, 43, of Woodstown, New Jersey was arrested and is facing two charges of death by auto after telling a responding officer from the New Jersey State Police he’d consumed “five or six beers,” prior to the fatal wreck. Higgins attempted to pass two vehicles, but cut back behind the second vehicle, an SUV, that had moved to the left to safely pass the Gaudreaus.
Higgins, attempting to pass on a narrow stretch of shoulder, struck both brothers from behind with a Jeep Grand Cherokee, causing their deaths at the scene. The tragedy has prompted outpourings of sympathy for the Gaudreaus from across the NHL and hockey world, in general, including a vigil held by fans last Friday at a memorial set up outside the arena.
The Blue Jackets’ vigil will include remarks by representatives of the organization along with 13:21 of silence to reflect the brothers’ jersey numbers – 13 for Johnny, who starred for Boston College, the Calgary Flames and Blue Jackets, and 21 for Matthew, who played at Boston College and for multiple professional teams.
Get more Columbus Blue Jackets talk on the Cannon Fodder podcast
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets to remember Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Gaudreau with vigil
