The children of the late hockey player Johnny Gaudreau honor their father’s memory on Halloween

The children of the late hockey player Johnny Gaudreau paid tribute to their father on Halloween.

His wife Meredith Gaudreau, who has two children with him and is pregnant with their third, posted a heartwarming photo of their two-year-old daughter Noah and eight-month-old son Johnny Jr. posing in the suits their father picked out. before his tragic death.

Noah dressed up as Jessie from Toy Story and her younger brother donned a Buzz Lightyear costume, while Meredith shared a photo of the Cuzzie Boo Crew on her Instagram story.

She added the iconic song “You’ve Got a Friend In Me” to the post and captioned it “Costumes Daddy wants” with two heart emojis.

The 31-year-old NHL star died along with his brother, 29-year-old Matthew Gaudreau, on August 29 after an allegedly drunk driver, 43-year-old Sean Higgins, drove into them while they were riding their bikes on a highway in Salem County, New Jersey, the night before their sister was to be married.

Now, just three months after the brothers’ sudden deaths, the family has come together to honor them in every way possible as they continue to grieve the huge loss.

A beautiful funeral service for the brothers was held on September 9 at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Media, PA.

Widows of brothers tearfully honor their husbands, recalling the close bond between them as brothers and sisters and their devotion to family.

Matthew’s wife, Madeleine Gaudreau, who is pregnant with their child, recalled how the brothers “were attached at the hip”.

“John would take care of Matty and Matty would take care of John … You didn’t hear one name without the other,” she said.

“I still feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be his wife,” Johnny’s wife Meredith said in a heartbreaking speech. “He was and remains my soulmate.”

Close and devoted fans began to gather outside the church two hours before the service began.

In attendance were Johnny’s Columbus Blue Jackets teammates, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, former Boston College coach Jerry York and countless members of the hockey community.

During the service, Meredith shared in her eulogy that she was pregnant with her and Johnny’s third child.

“In less than three years of marriage, we have created a family of five,” she said. “It doesn’t even seem possible, but I look at it as the best blessing. How lucky I am to be a mother to John’s three babies, our last one has been a blessing and so special despite these difficult circumstances.’

Meredith, who married Johnny in September 2021, added that when she shared the news with her husband, he was “glowing” and “so excited”.

“I was so nervous because it was a complete surprise again, but his reaction was to immediately kiss me and hug me,” Meredith said.

The Columbus Blue Jackets paid an emotional tribute to their late teammate during a home game in October.

Meredith and her two children took the ice with Blue Jackets star and Gaudreau friend Sean Monahan as the team raised a banner with Johnny’s name and No. 13 in the rafters.

The fans cheered, both teams tapped their sticks on the ice in a traditional hockey salute, while his family watched from the sidelines, arms folded.

Before the puck dropped, the teams stopped with 13 seconds on the clock, and because of his free position on the left wing, the Blue Jackets sent four skaters on the ice instead of the usual five.

“I don’t want anyone to feel sad,” Meredith said in a recorded message that was played shortly before the face-to-face match. “I want you all to be inspired by the life that John lived. It means love your family first, and when it’s time to drop the puck, let’s love the game that John loved.”

Just a few weeks earlier, Meredith admitted that it was “very difficult” to watch the start of the hockey season after her husband’s death.

“It was really hard for me to watch hockey start and see how different my life is now,” she wrote in a heartbreaking Instagram post at the time.

“My whole life has been about taking care of John and our children. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

While Johnny was ready to enter his third season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, his younger brother Matthew was a former NCAA hockey star from Boston College.

He later became the assistant head coach of their high school hockey team.

Last month, his wife, Meredith, threw a baby shower for their son, Tripp, who is due in December.

The venue was decked out in ‘heavenly themed’ decorations as she shared photos of the party and said: ‘My dream baby shower.’

‘…My husband would love all the balloons. The way you were able to tie my husband up brought instant tears when I walked in,” Meredith said.

According to New Jersey prosecutors, Higgins, the driver accused of killing the brothers, was drunk at the time of the fatal incident.

He was charged with two counts of death by vehicle, as well as reckless driving, possession of an open container and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. He was denied bail in the case.

According to First Assistant Salem County District Attorney Jonathan Flynn, you must have been driving like crazy, like I always tell you what you do,” Higgins’ wife told him when he called her from jail after his arrest. “And you don’t listen to me, you just shout at me.”

The Woodstown, New Jersey, man appeared in virtual court, where he was ordered to stand trial over the objections of his attorneys, who argued he was a married father and law-abiding citizen before the fatal crash.

“He is an empathetic person and a loving father of two daughters,” said Higgins’ attorney, Matthew Portella. “He’s a good man and he made a terrible decision that night.”

In documents seen by DailyMail.com, Higgins admitted to police that he drank “5-6 beers” before getting behind the wheel of his Jeep Grand Cherokee and crashing into the Gaudreau brothers.

He also failed a field sobriety test.

Prosecutors said Higgins had been drinking at home since 3 p.m. that day after he had an unpleasant conversation with a family member.

Flynn said Higgins was annoyed when two drivers in front of him slowed to avoid Gaudreau as they pedaled their bikes down a country road. Higgins allegedly tried to pass the cars on the right side, when he collided with the Gaudreau brothers.

“He stated that he had not even seen them,” said Superior Court Judge Michael J. Silvani.

According to Silvanio, Higgins admitted that his “impatience” led to the death.

Silvanio asked that Higgins remain in custody because he has been deemed a flight risk due to the lengthy sentence he faces.

He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on all counts.