This weekend, an event that was the first of its kind took place in southern New Jersey.
The first annual Gaudreau Family 5K was held in Sewell, New Jersey, not far from where Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau grew up.
Last August, the two brothers were killed by a drunk driver while they were bicycling not far from their family home.
They were back in town to celebrate their sister’s wedding, which was set to take place the following day.
Over 1,000 participants came out for the event, and another 1,300 or so participated virtually, according to the AP.
Among those who took part remotely were the Florida Panthers.
Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett were teammates with Gaudreau in Calgary, and it was reportedly Tkachuk’s idea for Florida to partake in the event.
It wasn’t just the Panthers players who joined in. Florida’s coaching staff, front office members, medical trainers, equipment managers and other staff members all took part, as many of them brought family members as well.
All were wearing matching Gaudreau Family 5K shirts.
For what it’s worth, the Panthers did not invite any media attention to their participation in the walk.
Matthew’s brother, Brady Tkachuk, was one of the several NHL players who joined in the walk itself up in New Jersey.
The event raised money for an accessible playground at Archbishop Damiano School, which is where Jane Gaudreau, Johnny and Matthew’s mother, and her daughter Kristen work, and where Johnny and Matthew’s grandmother Marie spent nearly half a century working before her death in 2023.
To donate to the Gaudreau Family 5K, click here.
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Photo credit: Florida Panthers