The second annual Gaudreau Family 5K and Family Fun Day takes place on May 16, 2026, in Sewell, New Jersey at Washington Lake Park
(626 Hurffville – Cross Keys Rd). For those unable to attend in person, there’s also a virtual run/walk option.
The inaugural event brought out more than 2,500 people: runners, walkers, spectators and volunteers of all ages. Moreover, it raised north of $550,000 for the local community. Most notably, the event’s success funded the construction of an adaptive playground — the Gaudreau Brothers Wings of Hope Playground at the Archbishop Damiano School in Westville New Jersey.
Earlier this week, Haley Taylor Simon spoke with Jane and Katie Gaudreau about the 5K event. To the family, there is no better way to honor the legacy of Johnny and Matthew, than through the community benefits of the Family 5K and the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation.
Following are excerpts of Haley’s 15-minute conversation with the Gaudreau family about the inspiration for the Family 5K and its power to channel the tragic losses of Johnny and Matty into something positive for the community.
Hockey World Comes Together
Haley: Tell me a little bit about the actual 5k run and walk itself, how it was last year, and what you’re hoping to see again this year.
Jane Guadreau: Hockey is a really close community. Some of these people we’ve had as friends since the boys were able to first get on the ice. We weren’t always able to see them as much as we’d have liked because life takes you in different directions. But we always stayed close, and we always stayed as friends.
When everything happened, one of our really close friends wanted to help us keep John and Matty’s legacy alive. So they asked if what we would think about doing a 5k and raising money for the playground at the school where my oldest daughter and I work. And I said, “Oh, that would be great. You know, our family’s already donated to them.
That was one of the places that John himself donated. Like when he had a hat trick and different things like that. So we thought that would be great. They wanted to build the playground. It’s going to cost close to $600,000 to build it to completion. So we thought, even if we can help a little bit, that would be great. And the 5k just took off.
People around, not only South Jersey, but that came for the actual physical race. We had people that flew in from Calgary and Columbus and Boston and Dubuque, Omaha– really, all over — to participate and just show the love they had for John and Matty and also our family. And it just grew. And then the virtual aspect just really took off to another level, which we didn’t expect.
We ended up raising the whole amount for the playground, and we had the groundbreaking in October,. Actually, we had the groundbreaking about a month before that. Then we had the community event the month of October. We’re going to have the ribbon cutting soon, coming up in the spring.
It was just amazing to see so many people to come together for us. It was really healing for Guy and I and also for Kristen and Katie. That’s especially because there were a lot of people that we saw the funeral that we don’t remember seeing. So this was a little bit more relaxed.
We wanted it to be a fun day. John and Matty and (daughters) Kristen and Katie, our family is all about, you know, family and having fun. So that’s kind of what we wanted to do. And it was just really a wonderful day where everyone came together and and just got to honor John and Matty,
Event Inspired the Gaudreau Family to Stay Strong
Haley: I think a lot of people that are in situations where they have lost a child of theirs, or they have dealt with grief, they look at you as inspiration. And beyond hockey, what you and your family are doing is helping so many people. So I just want to ask, what gives you that strength?
Katie Gaudreau: I was thinking as a daughter. I mean this was like unimaginable for my parents. Really for any parent, especially like twice. To lose two and two children suddenly like that is just completely unimaginable.
There were a lot of days that, like, we were, like, what do we do for mom and dad? They can’t be like, now there’s no purpose. It’s like, we’re all grown. We’re adults. Like, yes, they can spend time with their grandchildren and they can be there for us. But it’s hard. They didn’t have a purpose.
This 5k truly saved my parents and me. We did all the tributes. My parents showed up for every single thing, no matter how big or small it was for the boys, just to keep their legacy alive. And March came around, and it was like, “Okay, now, now what?”
And I really saw my mom go full into this 5k making sure that every time we could talk to anybody who wanted to talk about it. We talked to anybody because we were talking about the boys and keeping their legacy alive for another person to see. Even if just one person saw this interview, somebody is going to talk about John and Matthew after the interview.
So as my parents’ child, I think this 5k and this foundation truly saved my parents. It gave them a purpose. So I will continue to support this 5k and this foundation, and do everything I can. Because I see it gives my parents a reason to get out of bed, where without this, they wouldn’t have that. So, I mean, they’re an inspiration to everyone.
But, there were — there still are — a lot of hard days for them. I think that just having this 5k and this purpose and this project to keep having people say their names, really is what keeps them going.
Behind the scenes
Haley: What goes into this planning, because it’s about purpose. It’s about drive. And can you kind of take us behind the scenes? Because people sometimes think about five K’s, and they just think it’s k’s and they just think it’s a race, but there it’s so much more than that. So we’re able to kind of give me a behind the scenes of, you know, the build up to it.
Katie: I mean, I was shocked, because last year I did not really do anything. This year I’ve kind of taken on more of a role. And it’s every other Wednesday from eight o’clock normally, until like 10 p.m. at night. It’s long meetings, and everyone has a job. Everybody comes together. There’s an agenda sent out and everybody has a job. You’re expected to make sure that you complete all the tasks of your job. They come back.
I thought last year it’s like we just showed up and we were there. I thought it was an easy planning. was very surprised. I thought you just showed up and we were gonna run a 5k and it’s gonna be great. And did not know what to expect. Now I see how much planning really goes into this.
Virtual 5k
Haley: For those who can’t attend the 5k in person, we talked about the virtual walk/run.I want to kind of ask you a little bit more about that, because the numbers last year were really big for the virtual 5k. So can you just talk to me a little bit about how people can get involved, even virtually?
Jane Gaudreau: So the virtual, what’s so wonderful about the virtual is that anyone can do it anywhere. And there are so many people that, not only hockey people, but there are parents that feel like, feel Guy and my pain. Then there’s siblings that feel Katie and Kristen’s pain. People see their own families in ours. And then there’s, you know, wives and children. So I think it’s a way where everyone can see their own families.
So many people want to try to support our family and the boys and keep their legacy. I’ve had so many different people that have either written me or either on social media that have said, you know, thanks so much for everything you do, you and your family. Seeing a family that that’s that is that close, it just says so much about, you know, the good that there still is in our country, and how people just come together.
And I never really thought about it like that before. We, we’ve always been a close family. This is just what what we are. The boys have always helped out other people, and I think by them just doing so much good when they were here, that it is our responsibility, and what we want to do as parents and and siblings is to keep their legacy alive and to keep helping other people and doing whatever we can to help, you know, whoever really needs the help.
Participation has no boundaries
Jane Gaudreau: People have just reached out from all over the US and Canada. Even from different continents and different countries. It’s been. And it’s kind of fun. I think we just got the printout this morning who is participating from where; like with all the different states. There’s only seven that are missing.
I know as soon as we say, “Oh, hey, we need somebody from Hawaii or Kentucky,” someone will do it. Last year, it was like, within a day,. Somebody else would say, “You know what? Yep, I’m going to sign up. ” We had Ireland and Sweden and a lot of, you know, different countries. All these people got behind us to help us, and just to, you honor the boys. You know, it kinds of goes with our story, so that we can help whoever we can help, or as much as we can do out there to help other people.
That’s really all that we can do now. Jjust keep John and Matty’s legacy alive and help as many people as we can in honor of them. Absolutely.
