Matthew Gaudreau was preparing for the arrival of a baby when he and his brother, Columbus Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreauwere hit and killed on Thursday, August 29, while cycling near their home.

Matthew’s wife, Madeline Gaudreauis expecting a baby due on December 31, according to an online registry in the couple’s name. Matthew and Madeline were married in July 2021.

Although Matthew hadn’t posted anything on Instagram since June 2022, he still often shared snippets from his love story with Madeline.

“I didn’t think she would say yes!” he captioned a July 2019 photo of himself down on one knee proposing to Madeline.

Related: Johnny Gaudreau’s Family Guide: Meet the Late NHL Star’s Wife and Kids

Courtesy of Meredith Gaudreau/Instagram While Johnny Gaudreau loved hockey, his family always came first. Off the ice, the NHL player enjoyed spending quality time with his wife, Meredith, and their two children, Noa and Johnny. However, tragedy struck the Gaudreau family when Johnny and his younger brother, Matthew Gaudreau, were killed while (…)

In February 2017, he captioned a sweet photo of the couple: “Happy 4th anniversary to this beautiful woman. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without you. I love you always.”

Matthew, who was 29, and Johnny, who was 31, were killed Thursday night by a suspected drunk driver while they were riding bicycles in Oldman Township, New Jersey, the Columbus Shipping.

The brothers were supposed to be their sister’s groomsmen Katie‘s wedding in Philadelphia on Friday, August 30. Katie shared a photo from the wedding rehearsal via her Instagram Story hours before the tragic incident. The wedding has since been canceled, Page Six reported on Friday.

The Gaudreau family responded to the deaths of Johnny and Matthew with a statement from the brothers’ uncle, Jim.

Related: Timeline of the relationship between late NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his wife Meredith

Courtesy of Meredith Gaudreau/Instagram Johnny Gaudreau and his wife, Meredith Gaudreau, were married for three years before his untimely passing. Meredith was Johnny’s biggest fan on the ice when he played for the Columbus Blue Jackets. “Last game of the season tonight 🥲. Love our man so much 💙❤️,” she wrote via Instagram (…)

“Last night we lost two husbands, two fathers, two sons, two brothers, two sons and brothers-in-law, two nephews, two cousins, two family members, two teammates, two friends, but truly two wonderful people,” read the statement, shared via X by a Boston reporter. Dan Roche reads: “We want everyone to know that we receive your messages of love and support and we appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers.”

Johnny is survived by his wife, Meredithwhom he married in 2021, and their two children: daughter Noa, who turns 2 in February, and son Johnny, who was born in February.

Johnny played the first nine seasons of his professional hockey career with the Calgary Flames before signing with the Blue Jackets as an unrestricted free agent in 2022. The NHL team paid tribute to Johnny on Friday via X.

“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy. Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but most importantly a loving father, son, brother and friend,” the statement said. “We extend our sincere condolences to his wife, Meredith, his children Noa and Johnny, his parents, their families and friends on the sudden passing of Johnny and Matthew.”

The man suspected of beating Matthew and Johnny, 43, Sean M. Higginswas arrested Thursday night and charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter. Higgins is suspected of being intoxicated when he swerved and struck the Gaudreau brothers as they rode bicycles shortly after 8 p.m. ET.

New Jersey State Police said Us that Higgins was driving behind two vehicles when he “attempted to pass the slower moving sedan and SUV, entered the southbound lanes, passed the slower moving sedan, and attempted to reenter the northbound lanes when the SUV in front of Higgins pulled into the center of the roadway, separated the northbound and southbound lanes to safely pass the two bicyclists traveling north on the right side of the roadway.”

When Higgins attempted to pass the SUV on the right, he struck both Johnny and Matthew “from behind,” causing them to “fatally injure.”