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The death of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew was an unimaginable tragedy, but their family is making sure that they continue to do a lot of good on their behalf.
This week, the Gaudreau family helped dedicate a new adaptive playground for children with special needs at Archbishop Damiano School in Westville, New Jersey.
The playground’s name? “The Gaudreau Brothers’ Wings of Hope & Chrysalis Corner.”
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“When the sign was unveiled, all I kept thinking about was the boys, how they would be so excited to see this,” the brothers’ mother, Jane Gaudreau, said, according to NHL.com. “This school has been part of our family for so long. I’m so proud that the playground is named in honor of them.”
The playground was built using funds raised by The Gaudreau Family 5K. The first annual event was held last year, while the second was held just last month.
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Johnny Gaudreau of the Columbus Blue Jackets looks on during warmups before the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., on April 7, 2024. (Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images)
Gaudreau said that the event raised “98 percent” of the funds to build the playground, which was completed with a community build.
Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were killed after being hit by an alleged drunk driver while riding their bikes in New Jersey back in August 2024.
At the time, Gaudreau was playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets after first spending nearly a decade with the Calgary Flames. Meanwhile, Matthew had played college hockey at Boston College, just like his brother, and went on to play in the AHL and ECHL.
Gaudreau was honored earlier this year at the Olympic Games in Milan when the U.S. Men’s Hockey team — which he was likely to have been a part of — won gold. The team took post-game photos with a No. 13 jersey as well as Gaudreau’s children.
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United States ice hockey players celebrate with a team photo while holding Johnny Gaudreau’s jersey after defeating Canada in the men’s gold medal game at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on Feb. 22, 2026. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)
Sean M. Higgins, the man accused of killing the Gaudreaus, faces six charges, including two counts of first-degree aggravated manslaughter.
According to ESPN, a motion to dismiss some of the charges was denied last month, and Higgins’ next court date is scheduled for June 16.