Johnny Gaudreau Jr. celebrated his first birthday in the Columbus Blue Jackets match of Saturday, where the son and the namesake of the late team star were destroyed by fans next to his widow mother, Meredith.
“Today is a very special birthday for a special young man,” said the Arena MC in Columbus fans, while the youngest Gaudreau appeared on the scoreboard. 'Little Baby, Johnny Gaudreau Jr., he will be 1-year-old today. There he is. Little Johnny.
'Jackets -fans, Blackhawks -fans, let's take me with me to sing' 'Happy Birthday' for Johnny. '
Supporters of the home team and a visit to Chicago Blackhawks both participated in a choir of traditional birthday song while the blushing baby Johnny was on the sister of Meredith Gaudreau, Lilly, on the lap. Meanwhile, Meredith sat next to Johnny and Lily with her and Johnny's other child, daughter Noa Harper.
The older Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were beaten and killed by a motorist while cycling on the eve of their sister's wedding in August. That driver, the 43-year-old Sean Higgins, is confronted with a maximum of 20 years in prison after being accused of two counts of second-degree death by car in the death of the brothers.
Johnny Sr's widow did her best to make Johnny Jr's first birthday special, as can be seen in a series of photos she posted on Instagram. The brown eyes, brown -haired boy is seen smiling in his mother's arms, enjoying what cake next to his sister and making a few funny faces.
Johnny Gaudreau Jr. Is on the lap of his aunt next to his mother and sister as Columbus Blue Jackets -Fans Serenade him on his first birthday
Johnny Sr's widow Meredith can be seen on Saturday with the birthday boy in Columbus
Meredith noticed online how happy Johnny Sr. was to have a son after the birth of Johnny Jr.
Columbus would win the game 5-1.
Meredith, who is currently pregnant with the third child of the couple, also included some photos of Johnny Sr. He held his only son for the first time.
“Happy 1st birthday for our baby boy!” Meredith wrote online. 'We love your darling Johnny! Already so strong and so special. '
Meredith also shared her memories of the reaction of Johnny Sr. at birth.
“I can't believe you gave me a boy,” is everything John said time and again when Baby Johnny arrived, “she wrote on Instagram. 'I could not stop staring how happy John was- one of the best moments of my life.
“Baby Johnny, you're Mama's Rock and Noa's best friend,” she went on. 'All the performance of Papa's performance is not compared to the pride and joy he had to be your father.
'I can't wait to give you a little brother or sister soon! Everything for you dear Johnny. We love you so much. '
Meredith held his fans for updates about her family, including Thursday evening on social media after Team USA fell from 4 nations to Team Canada in the final. Johnny Sr. would probably have played in the tournament for the United States if he was not killed tragically in New Jersey last year.
“So emotionally this hears all around me,” wrote Meredith Online. “I kept thinking how I can't wait to show these videos to our children one day.”
The presence of Gaudreau was felt several times during the tournament, with its no. 13 red, white and blue sweater that hung in the changing rooms of the teams in Montreal and Boston.
No other player did not wear 13 for the Americans in the tournament.
The American hockey legend Mike Eruzione also wore Gaudreau's sweater on the TD Garden Ice for Puck Drop on Thursday evening.
Team Canada beat the Americans on Thursday in the extension to win the inaugural tournament.
The crash happened three miles from the Gaudreau family house, hours before Johnny, 31, (right) and Matthew, 29, (left) would serve as groomsmen in the marriage of their sister (center)
Higgins is accused of being intoxicated when he collided with Gaudreau and his brother
The New Jersey police have released dramatic body-cam images of the nervous moments after the crash on August 29 in New Jersey.
“I drank beers,” Higgins told the police before admitted “five or six” Miller Lites.
Eventually he would claim that he had not had 'there in two hours'.
Prosecutors have accused Higgins of being legally drunk when his vehicle collided with the Gaudreau brothers while cycling along a country road in the outskirts of Philadelphia.
The father of two registered a blood alcohol level of 0.087-Iats above the State Limit of New Jersey of 0.08. Higgins is confronted with a maximum of 20 years in prison after being accused of two counts of second -degree death by car.
The father of two registered a blood alcohol level of 0.087-Iats above the State Limit of New Jersey of 0.08. Higgins is confronted with a maximum of 20 years in prison after being accused of two counts of second -degree death by car.
The fatal crash happened less than three miles from the Gaudreau family home, hours before Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, would serve as grooms in the wedding of their sister Katie. The brothers, who played together at Boston College, have since been honored in Calgary and Columbus, where Johnny played professionally.
