Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew mourned at funeral

They were playing tennis, Penna recalled. I love you, No, I love you. They must have said it to each other 19 times. That was the conversation.

I saw in those two brothers a love that I don't have with my own brother. They had an intensity in their love that was unbelievable.

Penna said Boston College misses these young men terribly because when they were on our campus, they lit up our campus, not just on the ice, but on campus, in the classroom. They were amazing.

Penna asked the people in the church to look around and see how many people had made the trip to pay their respects, calling it a source of comfort for parents Guy and Jane.

“By the overwhelming presence and the overwhelming number of people here today, they are sending you the message loud and clear that John and Matthew's lives mattered, that they were noticed on this earth, that they were loved on this earth and that they were valued on this earth,” Penna said.

This powerful group wants you to know that they are here to tell you, all of you, that they love you too, that they stand behind you, and that they are there to support you in our loss.

Both the brothers' widows gave eulogies.

Meredith Gaudreau spoke about the bond her husband Johnny had with two teammates in particular. Sean Monahan played with Johnny in Calgary and signed with Columbus this offseason and was set to reunite this year. Kevin Hayes was Johnny's teammate at BC and is a member of the Penguins organization.

You’ve both known John longer than I have, which means you shaped him into the man I fell in love with, Meredith said, revealing she was pregnant with the couple’s third child. He looked up to you both, both on and off the ice. You’re his brothers, which means you’re my brothers, too.

Thank you for being there for me, even when you were experiencing such a great loss.

Kevin and his brother Jimmy, who also played for BC, often hosted Johnny and Matt at their family home in Dorchester. Jimmy passed away unexpectedly in August 2021.

Kevin, you and your family were a huge part of John’s upbringing in this crazy NHL life, Meredith said. He looked up to you and loved being with your siblings. I think the summers he spent with the Hayeses reminded him of his own family, so I know that was something he cherished. The friendship and bond you created, despite the distance, is so strong and admirable.

You've been through so much, and you were always there for John, no matter what. You're an amazing, amazing person to your core, and John loved you so much.

Madeline Gaudreau began dating Matthew when they were both in high school. The two continued their relationship when he moved to British Columbia.

Matty was so excited to play alongside his brother, something he never took for granted, Madeline said. The bond Matt and John shared is something that, unless you knew them personally, even the most perfect words, pictures or videos can’t adequately describe. They were inseparable. They slept in the same room all the way through college, and neither of them ever wanted to change that.

John took care of Matty, and Matty would take care of John. To know them both was to truly love them. It was impossible not to fall in love with them.

Meredith said it best. You don't hear one name without the other. They were so incredibly proud of each other, and it gives me comfort to know that they are still together forever, just as they always were.

She concluded her speech by urging people not to drink and drive. The brothers were killed by a man who had reportedly been drinking.

Call a ride. Please don't let another family go through this torture. The loss of Matty and John will leave a hole in the family, his closest friends, the community, forever. However, their legacy will live on in the lives of everyone they touched: their children, their wives, their parents, their brothers and sisters.

God really drafted the best two guys. Linemates forever. I love you so much Matthew Ryan.

A GoFundMe for Madeline to support her and their baby, due in December, has exceeded $645,000with donations from nearly 9,000 people, including many NHL players and their families.

He didn't make the millions Johnny made and doesn't have a pension from the Players Association, said Michael Myers of the ECHL's Worcester Railers, where Matthew played for two seasons. It's important for the hockey community to recognize and embrace that to help Matthew's family.

Hockey East, where BC plays, was scheduled to hold its annual media day on Monday, but it was cancelled due to the funeral.

Johnny and Matty Gaudreau were pillars of the hockey community and the Hockey East family continues to mourn their loss, commissioner Steve Metcalf said in a statement. Our thoughts are with their families, friends, loved ones and those who were touched by these two exceptional individuals during this difficult time.

A private viewing for the family was held on Sunday.

Police said the brothers were driving on County Route 551, a two-lane road in a rural area of ​​Oldmans Township, N.J., at 8:19 p.m. on Aug. 29 when they were struck. According to a criminal complaint obtained by The Associated Press, the driver, Sean M. Higgins, told a responding officer he had consumed five or six beers before the crash and admitted to drinking alcohol while driving. He failed a field test, the complaint said.

View photos of the service

Read more about the Gaudreaus

Johnny Gaudreau was a hockey player who scored goals like no one else, but always remained humble

Sister of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau posts emotional tribute to siblings killed in NJ crash

Montreal's Cole Caufield announces he will wear number 13 in honor of Johnny Gaudreau

You Were Perfect: Johnny Gaudreau's Wife Meredith Honors Late Husband on Social Media

They were great young guys. Jerry York and others reflect on the deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau

This report used information from the Associated Press.

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Katie McInerney can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @k8tmac. Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.