South Jersey community grapples with deaths of Gaudreau brothers

Published: Aug 30, 2024 Duration: 00:03:36 Category: News & Politics

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>> And tributes are still pouring in tonight. This is the 10:00 news. I'm Jason Martinez and I'm Shaynah Ferreira. >> 31 year old Johnny Gaudreau, known as Johnny Hockey, was a veteran NHL, NHL forward about to enter his third season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. >> The Salem County native played the first eight seasons of his career with the Calgary Flames. He was a husband and a father to two young children. His younger brother, 29 year old Matthew, played in the minors and was expecting his first child in December. >> Tonight, 43 year old Sean Higgins is behind bars charged with DUI and two counts of vehicular homicide. Police say Higgins told them he had 5 or 6 beers before striking the brothers. >> All of this, especially devastating when you consider the Gaudreau family was supposed to be celebrating tonight with both brothers serving in their sister's wedding. >> Our Sean at Wilson is live in Sewell, new Jersey, where hearts are heavy. Sean, it. >> Yeah. Jason and Shaina, this is actually a good look at what that heartache you're talking about is here tonight. Behind me. More than a dozen hockey sticks and flowers. A memorial for two greats. People say both on and off the ice. >> We've never had, like, a big thing like this here. Especially in Holly Dale. You know, he came here. He was drafted just outside the entrance to Holly Dale. >> Ice Arena in Salem. Is a visual reminder that what is still so hard to believe is sadly, very real. >> It's really tough to lose somebody this close to here is really tough for us. >> 22 year old Michael Thompson stopped by to take pictures of the memorial for brothers Johnny and Matt. Gaudreau, hit and killed while riding their bikes last night. Police say, by a man driving drunk 31 year old Johnny, known as Johnny Hockey, a veteran NHL player. Matt, 29 years old, had also played some professional hockey and coached the Westchester Wolves. The tragedy shaking especially the sports community to its core. >> Our prayers are with them. Every team, including my team. I'm a Penguins fan. Of course, they showed everything. Respect. >> Many paid respects today, dropping off their very own hockey sticks. Others are new, almost all with messages of love, support and honor for the brothers. This one reads two great coaches and even better people. >> Shock couldn't still can't process it. You know, Matty was my coach for two years. He was just one of the best guys. >> They were role models. They were there, the best players to ever come out of this rink. >> Their dad coached here. It's also where Matt recently coache. Both brothers grew up skating here. >> We came to the rink this morning. It was really eerie feeling and I think it's going to be like that for a while because, I mean, like I said, these guys were legends around the rink. They built this place and back here live, you can see even late tonight, people still arriving here to the ice arena to pay their respects, put down even more flowers and these two you can see, taking a moment just to look at a memorial picture of both players. >> Now, a local college team actually practiced here at the ice arena tonight. Some of them say that Matt even coached them and that he remained closely in touch. Jason and Shaina and they just touched so many people just within the hockey community, in the community. >> Whoever you were, you knew them and you loved them. >> To hear people say greats, you know, both professionally and personally is just a wonderful, you know, attribute that anybody could have. >> Yeah, yeah. >> So young and probably the most shocking sports death since Kobe. I mean, plus we're talking about two people here and you know, Kobe there w

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