Johnny Gaudreau's sister-in-law vows to take care of his kids and wife in a moving tribute after his death

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Johnny Gaudreau's family is honoring him following the untimely passing of the late NHL star last week. 

Lily Morris, the athlete's sister-in-law, wrote a heartfelt homage to her brother on Instagram over the weekend just days after the athlete and his 29-year-old brother Matthew perished in a bike accident on August 29.

Lily Morris's touching post to Johnny Gaudreau

"I love you, John. You are and always will be my amazing brother," Lily Morris wrote as the caption for a series of images that featured Johnny Gaudreau with his kids, Johnny, 7 months, and Noa, who turns 2 in October, as well as on his wedding day to wife Meredith in 2021.

"Cannot put into words how grateful I am to have spent the last year living with you. Best decision I’ve ever made. Nothing I wouldn’t do to have one more day of baking you cookies, watching a crime documentary, and having a sauna jam sesh together," Morris continued, per People Magazine. "I’ll see you again for more deal or no deal and word search races that I will never beat you in. I promise to take care of your babies and Mer forever."

Lily Morris also shared multiple photos in remembrance of Johnny Gaudreau

Lily Morris, who concluded her post with the alias "Aunt Luwally," also posted a number of images in memory of her late brother-in-law. These included a selfie in which the two of them were seen grinning, some shots from Johnny Gaudreau and his wife Meredith's wedding, and a few that showed Johnny spending time with his kids on the ice and on a sunny day by the water.

Additionally, she shared a video of Johnny kicking about a towel during a soccer match on her Instagram Stories, referring to him as "the definition of a good time."

Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau's tragic death

Last week, a bicycling accident in their hometown of Salem County, New Jersey's Oldmans Township, claimed the lives of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau. On August 30, the two traveled to the city to attend their sister Katie Gaudreau's wedding. According to the wedding website, they were supposed to serve as groomsmen.

Driver Sean M Higgins has been detained and charged with two counts of death by auto, according to New Jersey State Police. They believe that Higgins was driving under the influence of alcohol when he struck and killed the Gaudreau siblings while attempting to pass another car.

Other members of Johnny Gaudreau's family have paid tribute to him and Matthew

Other family members, such as Johnny Gaudreau's wife Meredith, who wrote about the strong kinship of the brothers in a post dated August 31, have paid respect to Johnny and Matthew.

"John and Matty. U don’t hear one name without the other. Always side by side. Even in large group settings, u can find them hip to hip. John’s younger brother- but he looked up to Matty and relied on him for everythinggg. And Matty was always there," Meredith wrote, describing the siblings as "absolute best friends and biggest fans of each other despite polar opposite personalities."

"Everyone wanted to be around them, including me," she added. "I would sit back and watch John genuinely love his time with his brother."

In two more Instagram photos, Meredith honored her late husband Johnny as a father and a partner, praising him for "the best years of my life."

"Despite losing you, I am still the luckiest girl in the world to have been yours. I love you so so much," she wrote. "You were perfect. Some days it felt too good to be true. I love every single thing about you. You are my forever and I can’t wait to be with you again. I love you so much forever and ever."