kellysthilaire - Tumblr blog

[kellysthilaire]

I didn’t think my first Tumblr post would be about this. I always thought that it would be something like a story, an imagine, etc.

Unfortunately, I learnt this morning, like everyone else, about the passing of Johnny “Hockey” Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew. They passed away after being hit by a drunk driver in Oldmans Township, NJ, USA. They were both in their home state to attend their sister, Katie’s wedding.

Johnny has and will always be someone I look up to. He was a small boy, being 5’6, and wasn’t someone that people thought could make it into the NHL. He wasn’t an enforcer by any means. For me, he was more than just a player. He was someone young hockey players could look up to. His passion and his will were the things that made him such a great player and teammate.

Even after all the awareness and all the warnings, irresponsible people still make choices that can cost someone their life. I don’t even want to call this a mistake. Drunk driving is a phenomenon that has been documented for a long time now. Yet, people still make the decision to drive under the influence.

In America alone, about 37 people die every year from accidents involving DUI. Today, it turns out that 2 of those 37 victims were hockey players well known across North America.

I beg you, if you ever see someone trying to drive while under the influence, stop them! Take their keys, offer them a lift, etc. Do everything that it takes to stop them from driving. That action might seem small, but it could save someone’s life.

Johnny. Matthew. This wasn’t the end you deserved. I hope that you will meet each other up there. I hope justice gets served.

Rest In Power Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau🕊️