This Saturday, the 1st Annual Gaudreau Family 5K Race Run and Family Fun Day will be held on May 31st, 2025, at Washington Lake Park in Sewell, New Jersey. Presented by Fanatics, the inaugural event honors the legacy of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, a pair of South Jersey hockey players who were struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver last August while riding bicycles during the offseason in Salem County, NJ.
“It’s kind of bittersweet, because besides doing tributes or going out and talking about the playground, or doing something in the boys’ honor, [husband] Guy and I especially have not really done anything,” Jane Gaudreau told Adam Kimelman of NHL.com. “I feel like by May, and knowing that all our friends will be there, and people that we know from the NHL and local hockey, they’ll all be there. So I feel like it’ll be almost like a warm hug. I know I am looking forward to that.”
All proceeds from the 5K run/walk and Family Day will be donated to the Archbishop Damiano School (ADS) for an adaptive playground in Westville, NJ. ADS services over 135 students with multiple disabilities from ages 3 to 21 through an individualized and inclusive special education program and therapies. Jane Gaudreau, Johnny’s and Matthew’s mother, works as a finance associate at the school, and both players volunteered at the location as teens. Kristin Gaudreau, the family’s oldest daughter, has worked at the school for over a decade.
“To know the Gaudreau family is to know that family comes before all else,” said Michele McCloskey, Executive Director and Principal of the Archbishop Damiano School. “The family’s long-standing dedication and history at Archbishop Damiano School have been a source of inspiration for us all. Their kindness and love continue to touch our hearts as they strive to live our mission and impact our students’ lives despite their loss.”
Saturday’s 5K and Family Day allows South Jersey and Delaware Valley residents to support the Gaudreau family. Children’s activities include a one-mile run, a shorter kids’ dash, face-painting, games, and more. There is a virtual option for those who cannot attend in person but would still like to participate.
To raise additional proceeds for the school, a memorabilia auction featuring a wide range of sports items, including a personally autographed Johnny Gaudreau 2023 NHL All-Star jersey, is being held online and will close at noon EST on May 31.
Over 2,100 participants are registered for this weekend’s events in South Jersey. Washington Lake Park is at 626 Hurffville-Cross Keys Road in Sewell, NJ. For additional information on the 1st Annual Gaudreau Family 5K Run/Walk and Family Fun Day, to sponsor, or to register, visit www.runsignup.com/GaudreauFamily5K.
Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
