I’ve waffled in terms of making any sort of blog-public statement regarding the untimely passings of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.
I can at least tell you that I lost both my parents suddenly and unexpectedly, which is painful enough…And I have a cousin who was killed by a drunk driver as well…
It’s just tough. The Gaudreau brothers were beloved throughout our little hockey world, and it takes all of one person making a horrible decision to end the lives of two very special people.
I can at least relate to what so many people must be feeling today–that the world has stopped, and that it’s unfair to see that the earth continues to turn on its axis, and people continue to act as if the world has not stopped for them. That’s a really rough part of losing a loved one, because your world really does stop when you find out they’re gone.
Everybody’s saying it, so I will as well: this fatal accident doesn’t happen if the perpetrator doesn’t choose to drive drunk. It’s easy to think you’re “okay to drive” after a beer or three, but it’s just…Dumb. There are so many ways to get a ride home from wherever you are drinking these days that there’s no excuse for not finding a designated driver, friend, Uber, Lyft, cab, etc.
Two brothers are gone the day before their sister’s wedding was scheduled to happen. It’s a senseless tragedy, and I hope that the Gaudreau family knows that they are surrounded by love and support, as alone as I’m certain they feel right now.
Take care of yourselves and each other. Be safe out there, especially as people celebrate this Labor Day weekend. Not everyone is going to be smart about their decision-making, so you be safe instead.
