Katie Gaudreau has spoken out publicly for the first time since her older brothers, NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Gaudreau, were killed in a bike accident on Aug. 29, the day before her wedding.
In a Sept. 2 Instagram post, Katie Gaudreau shared a series of photographs of her with her brothers, along with various family members and her fiancé, Devin Joyce.
The first photo in the slideshow is a family pic of siblings Kristen, Katie, Matthew and Johnny Gaudreau, plus their parents Guy and Jane Gaudreau.
"To know these two was to love these two. There are absolutely no words I have to express the bond my family shared. The entire world knows there would never have been a John without Matty or Matty without John. The absolute best big brothers a little girl could have asked for. This will never be a goodbye post because I will never stop saying your names and honoring you both. I’ll take the best care of mom, dad, Kristen, Mer, Madeline, and your babies," Katie Gaudreau wrote in her caption.
Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were killed after they were hit by an alleged drunken driver while riding bikes in their hometown in New Jersey, New Jersey State Police said, according to NBC Philadelphia.
They were to be groomsmen at their sister's wedding, set to take place the following day in Philadelphia, per the couple's wedding website on The Knot.
Both brothers played for Boston College's hockey team. Johnny Gaudreau was drafted by the Calgary Flames out of college in 2014 and in 2022 signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets on a seven-year deal. Matthew Gaudreau played five years of professional hockey, according to the United States Hockey League.
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Matthew Gaudreau's wife, Madeline Gaudreau, is expecting their first child, a boy named Tripp, according to a GoFundMe launched after the accident.
Johnny Gaudreau had two children with his wife, Meredith Gaudreau. She posted tributes to her husband and brother-in-law Aug. 31.
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"Thank you for the best years of my life. Despite losing you, I am still the luckiest girl in the world to have been yours. I love you so so much. You were perfect. Some days it felt too good to be true. I love every single thing about you. You are my forever and I can’t wait to be with you again. I love you so much forever and ever," Meredith Gaudreau wrote of her husband.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
