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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Fans and Columbus Blue Jackets players gathered for an emotional candlelight vigil outside the team’s arena Wednesday night to remember Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew, who died last week when they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles in their home state of New Jersey.
The crowd of of roughly 1,000 outside Nationwide Arena was encouraged at 7:49 p.m. to light their candles. For the next 13:21 — for Johnny’s jersey No. 13 and Matthew’s No. 21 — they stood in silent remembrance watching a nearby video screen as a slideshow played of the brothers from childhood, through their teenage years and into college hockey, the pros, marriages, baptisms and lives filled with joy and love.
Flanked by a memorial 20 feet deep and 40 feet wide of jerseys, candles, balloons, stuffed animals, Gatorade bottles and signage, players including captain Boone Jenner, defenseman Erik Gudbranson and forward Cole Sillinger shared memories and inspirations they gained from knowing Johnny Gaudreau.
Hundreds of grief-stricken fans and Columbus Blue Jackets players gathered outside the team’s arena Wednesday night for an emotional candlelight vigil to mourn the loss of Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew. AP Photo/Joe Maiorana
Gudbranson had known Gaudreau the longest, dating to their time as teammates with the Calgary Flames. He made the crowd chuckle sharing stories of Gaudreau barely making it on time to every team meeting and how he could be out of the locker room in his suit before Gudbranson had gotten out of his skates.
“A little thing I did with John is I’d pick him up and give him a bear hug, and I wouldn’t put him down until he told me he loved me,” Gudbranson told the crowd. “He wouldn’t tell me for a long time. I know up here it was because he enjoyed the hug. We just miss him so much.”
When the timer finished counting up and candle wax and tears commingled on the bricks outside the arena, chants began: “Johnny Hockey, Johnny Hockey,…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/41128027/blue-jackets-fans-players-mourn-johnny-matthew-gaudreau-vigil
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Publish date : 2024-09-05 03:12:15
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