Ohio boy honors Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau with heartfelt Halloween tribute
This Halloween, the family of Blake Mompher, an 11-year-old boy from Delaware, Ohio, found a special way to honor Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, who were tragically killed by a suspected drunk driver in August. The hockey players were commemorated through a unique costume designed by Mompher's family.
Mompher, who has spina bifida, incorporates his wheelchair into his annual costumes, with his family's help. This year, the Blue Jackets fan wanted to dress up his wheelchair as a hockey penalty box featuring the Gaudreau brothers' jersey numbers in a tribute to the siblings. Mompher especially admired Johnny Gaudreau, a star with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
"He would call him Johnny Hockey. He always liked watching him play, because it was so good," Megan Mompher, Blake's mom, said. She added the brothers' death "was heartbreaking for all of us."
"When I put the decal [with the Gaudreau brothers' numbers] on I started to get tears in my eyes," Aric Mompher, Blake's dad, said. "It wasn't just a Halloween costume this year; it was more of a representation of family first, what Johnny and his brother stood for."
After posting photos of the costume online, the Momphers were touched to hear from Johnny Gaudreau's sister.
"Katie, Johnny's sister, had reached out and said that she saw Blake's costume and that she loved it," Megan said.
Katie Gaudreau told CBS Philadelphia: "It was so special for them to do that."
Little did the Momphers know there was an even deeper connection. The Gaudreau family is currently raising funds for an adaptive playground at Archbishop Damiano School in New Jersey, where both Johnny and Matthew's other sister, Kristen, and mother, Jane, work.
"The Gaudreaus just had so many years of love and dedication to our program. I can't stress that enough," said Michele McCloskey, who works at the school. "[They're] willing to do everything in their power right now to honor their boys' legacy."
The Momphers said they were touched that the Gaudreaus are helping build a playground that children like Blake can enjoy.
"That was a connection that we had no idea was there," Megan Mompher said. "She said seeing Blake's costume brought them validation that they were doing the right thing."
On Wednesday night, Blake was all smiles as he dressed up as the penalty box and made his way into the Blue Jackets Arena.
When asked if he thought the game would be "one of the best days of his life," Blake enthusiastically grinned.
"Yeah!" he said.
