PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — About nine months after the tragic deaths of John and Matthew Gaudreau, the Gaudreau family is honoring their memory by organizing a 5K. The brothers, both avid athletes, died in a cycling accident the night before their sister’s wedding in August 2024.
Their mother, Jane Gaudreau, said those qualities are what made the first annual Gaudreau Family 5K and Family Fun Day the ideal way to honor the late brothers’ legacies
“They were very athletic, very fun, they were always wanting to do things for other people, and they loved children,” she said.
All the proceeds go toward building a playground at Archbishop Damiano School in Gloucester County, which serves children with disabilities. The Gaudreau family has been involved with the school for generations. Jane and her eldest daughter work there, and John and Matty volunteered there back when they were at Gloucester Catholic.
“ It would be a way to honor the boys,” said Jane. “They would be so happy that we were doing something like this and so proud of us. It would also give back in such a way that is so important to all of us.”
All the spots for the May 31st 5K quickly filled up, but you can still participate in the family fun day, the kids’ one-mile dash, or a virtual 5K from a different location. Sign-ups are on the Gaudreau Family 5K website, where merchandise and silent auction proceeds also go toward the playground. Jane Gaudreau said planning the event has helped the family through the grieving process.
She hopes the event helps preserve her sons’ legacies, not just as athletes but as people who cared deeply about their community.
“John and Matty were such wonderful people. And for us, just to be able to keep their legacy going and have everyone remember how wonderful they were and how much they did for other people is so important to our family.”