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Before embarking on their journey to Milan, Jane and Guy Gaudreau grappled with a decision that tugged at their hearts. They had received an invitation from USA Hockey to witness the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team face Slovakia in the semifinals. However, the couple was initially reluctant to accept, as reported recently. The specter of their son Johnny’s absence loomed large over the decision.
The memory of Johnny Gaudreau, a talented young athlete, remains vivid in their lives. Before his untimely passing in 2024, Johnny, alongside his brother Matthew, was tragically killed in an accident involving an alleged drunk driver. Johnny had been on the cusp of making the 2026 Olympic team, dedicating himself to rigorous training in hopes of securing a spot. In a heartfelt conversation with the Philadelphia Inquirer, his sister Katie shared these aspirations that had been so close to fruition.
Last week, USA Hockey extended an invitation to the Gaudreau family, offering them the chance to attend not only the semifinals but also the finals, should the U.S. team advance. Initially, Jane and Guy declined. The thought of attending such an event without Johnny, and knowing that their daughters, Katie and Kristen, could not join them, made the prospect almost unbearable.
However, as Katie later recounted, the family’s perspective shifted the following day. The opportunity to honor Johnny’s memory and connect with the sport he loved began to outweigh their initial reluctance. The Gaudreaus found themselves reconsidering, drawn by the chance to feel Johnny’s presence in the arena where he had once dreamed of competing.
The feeling changed the next day, Katie explained.
“My mom was like, ‘I really didn’t sleep,’” she said. “‘I think John would want us to go. I think we should go.’”
Katie knew the trip could be an emotional one for her parents, but she told her mother she could always skip the gold medal game if the first contest was too hard for them. But not being there at all meant they wouldn’t have the chance to honor Johnny or Matthew.
“‘So this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to honor the boys. And keep their legacy alive. And that’s what we do, every day. We wake up and we just want to honor the boys’ legacy,’” Katie recalled telling her mom.
Jane and Guy, along with Johnny’s widow, Meredith, and their two oldest kids, Noa and Johnny Jr., made the trip to Italy.
The family was in the stands when the United States beat Slovakia and then again when they captured gold in a thrilling 2-1 overtime win over Canada on Sunday.
After capturing the gold, Team USA carried a jersey around the ice with Gaudreau’s name and invited Noa and Johnny Jr. onto the ice to be part of the team photo.
“I was like, ‘There’s no way they’re going to do that. There’s no way,’” Katie said. “When they did that, I lost it. I’m so proud. I’m so happy that the kids got to experience that, because this is what John wanted. The team did an amazing job.”
Johnny and Matthew were tragically killed in New Jersey in August 2024 when a purported drunk driver struck them while riding their bicycles. They were home in Oldmans Township for Katie’s wedding that was supposed to take place the next day.
Both brothers died at the scene.
The case against the driver is still in court.