Tortorella attended the brothers’ funeral last month in a Philadelphia suburb.
“I thought the two wives were so strong in how they handled themselves,” Tortorella said. “No one can imagine. No one can. I’m hoping to get to know the family. I think a number of coaches want to get to know the family, the girls, Matt’s family. It’s just horrible what happened. It’s still pretty fresh. It’s here. It’s with us. Down the street. We just want to be part of it and try and help.”
John Gaudreau’s widow, Meredith, wrote on social media how much Tortorella’s gesture meant to the family.
“John & Matty would love this. They’re both so proud of their dad, I know this made them smile as they watched down from heaven,” she wrote, adding a heart emoji.
John Gaudreau, the Columbus Blue Jackets star, and his brother, Matthew, were killed on Aug. 29 when police said they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while they were riding bicycles on a rural road in South Jersey on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding. The driver who police say struck them is charged with two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle.
John Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” played 10 full seasons in the league and was set to enter his third with the Blue Jackets after signing a seven-year, $68 million deal in 2022. He played his first eight seasons with the Calgary Flames, a tenure that included becoming one of the sport’s top players and a fan favorite across North America.
“We don’t want it to be an everyday story,” Tortorella said. “We just want to help. To be in a locker room, coach to coach, player to coach, guys talking to him, I just hope it helps a little bit.”
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