Jane Gaudreau, the mother of late NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau, spoke out after the drunken driver accused of killing them pleaded not guilty.
A mom posted two quotes on her Instagram stories after Sean M. Higgins pleaded not guilty in connection with her sons’ fatal bike accident on August 29 during a court appearance on Tuesday, January 7. The Gaudreau family was present at Tuesday’s hearing, according to NJ .com.
“Sometimes life is hard. Some days are really hard and sometimes you just have to cry before you can move forward… And that’s okay,” is one of the quotes.
Sean M. Higgins in court on November 12, 2024.
Matt Slocum/AP Photo
Matthew Gaudreau’s widow marks his first birthday since his tragic death: ‘I can’t wait to kiss your face again’
Another quote Jane shared was from Patrick Stump. “When you’re having a bad day — a really bad day — try to treat the world better than it treats you,” read the quote.
Higgins, 44, is accused of being under the influence of alcohol while trying to pass another vehicle, which led him to fatally strike the brothers as they rode their bikes near their hometown on August 29. Johnny, who played for the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets during a 10-year NHL career, and Matthew were scheduled to appear as best men at their sister’s wedding the next day.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(748x336:750x338)/johnny-matthew-gaudreau-nhl-091624-b18d2e6db4b247f5b409c2f3e1e8c090.jpg)
Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Gaudreau.
Christian Petersen/Getty; Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty
Madeline Gaudreau says her late husband Matthew was ‘with me the whole time’ as she welcomed their son 4 months after his death
Body camera footage released by New Jersey State Police would show Higgins repeatedly saying he was “freaked out” during a roadside sobriety test after the crash and asking if the men were OK. The New Jersey State Attorney’s Office said Higgins had a blood-alcohol level of 0.087 when the crash occurred, which is more than the 0.08 state legal limit.
Higgins was indicted in December on several charges, including second-degree reckless homicide by vehicle and first-degree aggravated murder, according to Salem County court documents obtained by PEOPLE.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(703x233:705x235)/johnny-matthew-gaudreau-boston-021014-aaa33538b1f4419290764e53a4010125.jpg)
Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Gaudreau.
Richard T Gagnon/Getty
During Tuesday’s court hearing, Higgins’ defense attorneys argued that the accident occurred due to “a combination of uniquely unfortunate circumstances that are unlikely to ever occur again,” the Associated Press reported.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
State prosecutors at the hearing described Higgins, a married father of two, as having a history of road rage and drinking up to six beers before the crash, the AP reported. Higgins is due back in court on Tuesday, February 4, according to NJ.com.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education