R.I.P. Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau 🕊️

 R.I.P. Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau

    Absolutely heartbreaking news to wake up to. To learn that two brothers, two athletes, two stand-up individuals, killed by a drunk driver. The words themselves almost don’t ring true as I write them. Something so hard to even believe, that it causes me pain just to say out loud. An absolute tragedy, in every sense of the word. 

    Sudden death like this is such a difficult event to truly understand. It is so far-out and uncommon, that the very thought of it takes a while to truly seep in. The constant denial of learning about it, not truly believing what we see. How just yesterday, things were no different- only to wake up today and find that the world has changed.

    It’s a weird thing, learning about the deaths of two athletes. For starters- I never personally knew the two brothers. However, the real sense of tragedy is the connection we all shared. The tight-knit community that we were both apart of. The world which both our families had dedicated so much of our time and life towards. The world of sports- a community like no other. Something one cannot truly understand unless they themselves have participated in it.

    Sports are one of the greatest things we have as a society. It allows individuals from all different backgrounds, to come together and work towards a common goal. A place where your past and your upbringing does not matter, all within a narrow window of time. The world continues to spin on, constantly changing, constantly evolving. All over the world, things continue to progress towards change. Yet when you play sports, when you play hockey- the world seems to stand still for a while.

    Community is built around leisure activities. That much I’ve come to learn both in University studies, as well as practice. That entire cities or nations can be united, as sports serves as a common ground for all of us to cheer. No matter what is happening in our own personal lives, to the lives around the world, we understand the importance of uniting behind a common cause. Uniting behind the men and women, who participate in a game.

    It’s an insane concept, when you sit and truly think about it. How a game, a leisure past-time, can come to mean so much to so many people. Most do not even fully understand the game nor do they practice it. Yet, regardless of their knowledge, they can be seen fully embracing the culture and sports as they unfold. The ability to unite people together, and give them something to cheer for, even if it’s only for a moment, is magical. Feeling apart of something greater than yourself, as you cheer and engage towards a desired outcome.

    For those who practice the sport, things are even more intense. The feeling of lacing up your skates, putting on your pads, and being surrounded by your brothers. That is a feeling that even I cannot put into words. In that moment, one can feel like they are invincible. Once can feel like it truly is them vs. the world. All the outside noise which surrounds us, day-in and day-out, seems to evaporate. All of the issues and problems which we once had, no longer exist within that time frame. We become something more than ourselves, while fighting for our brothers.

    Within the sport, a community grows. A community of those who are all interconnected by the same story. All held together by a game. Something so large, that our entire personalities are shaped around it. Where we become completely and utterly obsessed over the very existence of the sport. And within that obsession, life-long friendships are born. The ability to connect and relate with others, who share a similar passion. Those who are willing to suffer and bleed, all for the chance to emerge victorious. The constant sweat and tears of labouring over ones craft, chasing eternal glory. And the best part of all- sharing that same struggle with your brothers.

    Sports are truly one of the greatest inventions we have as a society. Their ability to unite us all is something which is truly difficult to put into words and accurately paint in frame. Yet the bond between all those who participate, is unbreakable. The unison between all those with different backgrounds, something out of a fantasy.

    Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were apart of that brotherhood. Both men were apart of a greater community, which stood for so much more than just ice and sticks. They were two men who shared the passion and love for the game, much like countless other children around the world. Their dedication to their craft, their sacrifices and hard work- all for the game they loves.

At the end of the day, we as a community did not lose two professionals- We lost two brothers. 

Two brothers, who we will continue to mourn.

        Rest In Peace, Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau.