Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau's pregnant widows continue to show strength after hockey

The world continues to mourn the tragic deaths of professional ice hockey players Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.

The brothers were hit while riding their bikes in their home state of New Jersey on August 29 by Sean M. Higgins, who was reportedly drunk. They were 31 and 29 years old, respectively, at the time of their deaths and were buried at St. Mary Magdalen Church on September 9, in a ceremony attended by their friends, teammates, the NHL commissioner and family, including them. attended now widows, Meredith and Madeline Gaudreau. The service was also broadcast live on the websites of the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets, the two teams Johnny Gaudreau played for.

The bond between Johnny and Matthew was well known in their circles. Johnny's wife Meredith shared a heartfelt passage during her eulogy in which she acknowledged that the brothers were closer than ever, making their sudden deaths all the more devastating.

“Everything was always John and Matty,” Meredith said with tears in her eyes. “Matty was the best, John’s best brother. He was John's biggest fan and John was his. Matty wanted everything for John, and all John wanted was to share it with his brother, and that's what they did. Matty was the perfect brother.”…I know John couldn't live a day without his brother.

Meredith then painfully revealed that she was pregnant with Johnny's third child, joining her other sons Noa and Johnny. She added that Johnny was “gleaming and excited” about becoming a family of five, a moment she wants to cherish forever.

“John and I had the best six months as a family of four. These will forever be the best six months of my life. There is one week in particular that I will cherish forever – it will be my favorite week of my life out of these six.” We are actually a family of five. I am nine weeks pregnant and have our third baby.

Madeline Gaundrea then approached the podium and delivered a heartbreaking eulogy of her own. She mentions how the loss of her husband Matt left her angry, sad and numb all at the same time.

“This last week has felt like I'm trapped in a nightmare that I can't wake up from,” Madeline claimed. “I feel dazed, angry, sad and blessed all at the same time. Some days the thought of this new reality is draining, but most of the time I just miss Matt.”

Madeline was also pregnant with one child, a boy named Tripp, who would have been the couple's first child. Family friends have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help Madeline deal with the aftermath of Matt's death. As of this writing, it has reached a whopping $854,798 with a goal of $30,000.

Losing Matt was just as devastating for Meredith as it was for Madeline. She shared a video on Instagram of her brother-in-law's speech at her and Johnny's wedding in 2021. Meredith writes: “Take care John, Matty, I love and miss you both. Give John a big kiss for me.”

Meredith remains active on social media. In her latest post, her son Johnny posed in a pumpkin patch to celebrate the fall season. Meanwhile, Madeline shared a story on her Instagram about honoring Johnny's number during the 2024-2025 NHL preseason.

Higgins is charged with two counts of second-degree vehicular manslaughter. He is currently in prison and has not yet entered an official plea, although he admitted to officers that he drank five to six beers before the incident.

The Gaudreau brother's death remains a national story, and the hockey world continues to mourn the tragic outcome.

Oct. 9

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