5K Commemorates the Gaudreaus and Raises Funds for an Inclusive Park
The first 5K race in memory of John and Matthew Gaudreau has been a resounding success, raising over $500,000. This event will enable the construction of an accessible playground at the special education school where the hockey players’ mother works. Thousands of people joined the Gaudreau Family 5K Walk/Run and Family Day in May at Washington Lake Park in South New Jersey. This place, frequented by John and Matthew during their childhood and close to the Hollydell Ice Arena, where they started playing hockey, was the scene of the emotional day. The 5K race attracted more than 1,100 in-person participants, in addition to another 1,100 who participated virtually from different parts of the world, including the United States and Canada. Thanks to the funds raised during the walk and the contributions in memory of John and Matt, the financial goal was reached to build the accessible playground at Archbishop Damiano School, where Jane Gaudreau and her daughter Kristen work. This initiative was driven by John and Matthew in honor of their grandmother Marie, who dedicated 44 years of service to the school and passed away in 2023. The inauguration ceremony is scheduled for late August or early September, with October 4th as a tentative date for the start of community construction. Despite a brief tornado alert the night before, the 5K race went off without a hitch.The next Gaudreau Family 5K Walk is tentatively scheduled for May 16, 2026. The Gaudreau brothers, John, who played 10 full seasons in the NHL with Calgary and Columbus, lost their lives last August, on the eve of their sister’s wedding, after being hit by a driver suspected of being drunk while riding their bikes in New Jersey. The playground initiative was launched by director Michele McCloskey in October 2020. Fundraising over the last five years has been a constant process. Friends from the hockey world and others, inspired by the brothers and the cause, have joined the effort. “We heard from everyone how much they appreciated what [the brothers] did for the community, and they responded by helping us,” said Gaudreau. “We heard many beautiful stories, many people were very generous, wanting to be there for our family and do what they could to keep the legacy of John and Matty alive, which is what we wanted from the playground and to move forward from here.” The Gaudreaus and the staff of Archbishop Damiano School were dedicated to raising funds for a modern playground that allows accessibility for all, including ramps and transfer platforms for students. Students expressed their wishes for the park on the school walls. The 5K event included an online auction of items of interest that extended beyond hockey, with all proceeds donated to the playground project and its original goal of $600,000. The playground area has already been marked out and the equipment has been ordered, but there is still work to be done. The Gaudreaus and the school need everything from 175 tons of crushed concrete to beach sand and other construction materials to complete the project. “We are planning community construction, for which we will need help,” Gaudreau said.“Because of the rain, we thought a lot of people wouldn’t come,” commented Jane Gaudreau. “But the turnout was incredible. A lot of people asked us if we’ll do it next year. It was a demonstration of love and affection, especially towards our children.”
Jane Gaudreau
Archbishop Damiano School was founded in 1968 for children with Down syndrome and currently serves 135 students with special needs, aged between 3 and 21 years old. Jane Gaudreau’s brother attended the school, and her mother worked there. Jane was hired in 1984 and is still a financial associate. Kristen, the eldest daughter, has taught at the school for almost two decades. Katie, the youngest daughter, who got married in July, used to help with the children when she could, and the two Gaudreau siblings volunteered at the school when they weren’t playing hockey.
