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

The latest on Meredith and Madeline Gaudreau.

Jane Gaudreau, second from left, and Meredith Gaudreau, middle in blue, watch with friends and family as a hearse carries away the casket Johnny Gaudreau following his funeral at St. Mary Magdalen Parish. Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau died after being hit by a drunk driver while riding bicycles on Aug. 29. / Adam Cairns/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

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

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

Johnny and Matthew's bond was well-known amongst their circle. Johnny's wife, Meredith, shared a heartfelt passage during her eulogy confirming that the brothers were closer than ever before, making their sudden passing all the more devastating.

"Everything was always John and Matty," said Meredith with tears in her eyes. "Matty was the best, the best brother to John. He was John's biggest fan and John was his. Matty wanted everything for John, and all John wanted to do was share it with his brother, and they did. Matty was the perfect brother. ... I know John would not be able to live a day without his brother. He loved him so much."

Meredith then painfully revealed that she was pregnant with her and Johnny's third child, joining her other sons Noa and Johnny. She added that Johnny was "beaming and excited" about becoming a family of five, a moment she plans 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's specifically one week that I will cherish forever — it will be my favorite week of my life out of those six months. We're actually a family of five. I'm in my ninth week of pregnancy with our third baby." 

Madeline Gaundrea would then approach the podium and deliver a heartwrenching eulogy of her own. She mentions how the loss of her husband Matt has left her feeling angry, sad, and numb all at the same time. 

"This last week has felt like I'm trapped in a nightmare I can't wake up from," Madeline claimed. "I feel numb, angry, sad, blessed all at once. Some days the thought of this new reality is debilitating, but mostly I just miss Matt."

Madeline was also pregnant with child, a boy named Tripp, which would have been the couple's first. A GoFundMe campaign was launched by friends of the family to help Madeline with the aftermath of Matt's death. As of this writing, it has reached an incredible $854,798 on a $30,000 goal. 

The loss of Matt was just as devastating for Meredith as Madeline. She shared a video on Instagram of her brother-in-law's speech at her and Johnny's wedding back in 2021. Meredith writes, "Take care of John for me Matty  love & miss you both. Give John a big kiss from me ."

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A post shared by Meredith Gaudreau (@meredithgaudreau_)

Meredith continues to remain active on social media. Her latest post was of her son Johnny posing inside of a pumpkin patch to celebrate the fall season. Meanwhile, Madeline shared a story on her Instagram of Johnny's number being honored during the 2024-2025 NHL pre-season. 

Higgins is being charged with two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide. He is currently jailed and has yet to make an official plea, although he did admit to officers that he consumed 5-6 beers before the incident. 

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

Oct. 9

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