Latest news with #MeredithGaudreau
NBC News
13-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC News
Johnny Gaudreau's Widow, Meredith, Details How She Found Out He Died
Meredith Gaudreau, the widow of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau, has penned a heartbreaking essay for Player's Tribune that details the devastating moment she learned her husband died. Johnny Gaudreau 31, who played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and his younger brother, Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were killed in August 2024 after an alleged drunk driver crashed into them as they were riding bicycles in their New Jersey hometown. In her essay, which was written in the style of an open letter to her late husband, Meredith Gaudreau revealed that the brothers' death on Aug. 29, 2024 came a week after she told her husband she was secretly pregnant with their third child, Carter, now 2 months old. 'In my head I couldn't believe we were about to have three kids under 3. It seemed like so much for us to handle. I was scared,' she wrote. 'But your face, John. Your face in that moment told me all I needed to know: that it was going to be OK. That we were going to be the best little team ever.' The day of her husband's death, which was also the four-year anniversary of the day the couple got engaged, started out on a high note. Meredith Gaudreau recalled that the pro hockey star made breakfast for their two older children, daughter Noa, now 2, and son Johnny, now 1, as she slept in. 'I walked into the kitchen and said, 'Hey, today's the day. August 29. Four years ago.' Four years since the day you'd gotten down on one knee and asked one more question,' she wrote. 'It was going to be a great day,' she added, noting that the couple would be attending her sister-in-law Katie Gaudreau 's wedding on Aug. 30. 'You were heading out to play golf with Matthew and all the groomsmen. You had our car packed to the brim in perfect Tetris fashion. Things for the wedding, things for Columbus, things for Johnny's christening. 'You kissed all of us goodbye and said you'd see us later. And that was that,' she wrote. Hours later, the idyllic morning turned into a nightmare. 'Katie called, and she said something had happened but she didn't know what exactly,' Meredith Gaudreau wrote. 'My dad drove me over to your parents', and I was thinking the whole time about how I was going to help you through whatever it could be that had happened to Matty,' she wrote of her brother-in-law, whose wife, Madeline Gaudreau, was also pregnant at the time. 'And then I walked up the front porch and learned the absolute worst had happened and that it was both of you,' she wrote. 'There aren't any words to go here,' she added. She recalled that her initial response after hearing the news was a 'shock' that was 'indescribable.' Then, she was 'keeled over' and sick to her stomach' for days, she wrote. 'The only person who can relate to me is my own sister-in-law. I see her and my heart breaks for her. I'm sick for her,' she wrote. 'I thought of our baby inside of me. I couldn't stand up. I was awake and having nightmares. Thinking of you in that moment. Thinking of Matty. It's just the worst thing I could have ever imagined,' she wrote. 'And in an instant, I missed you more than I knew was possible. And I haven't stopped missing you since.' 'To go from getting ready for a beautiful wedding all week with your sister, to being in a funeral home with Madeline trying to figure all these things out — it just hurt so much,' she wrote. Near the end of her letter, Meredith Gaudreau expressed her appreciation for her family and the sports community for all the love and support they gave to her and Madeline Gaudreau during the worst days of their lives. She also told her late husband how much she admired him as a man, a partner and a father. 'You were perfect, ' she wrote. ' I don't know how you could have ever been better.' She added that she felt 'lucky' that all three of their children — including baby Carter, the son her late husband never had the chance to meet — inherited his best qualities. Meredith Gaudreau concluded her emotional essay by wishing her late husband a 'Happy first Father's Day as a father of three!' 'Thank you for the very best years of my life,' she wrote. 'Thank you for making us a family. Thank you for being my best friend, my favorite person, the man of my dreams.'
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Meredith Gaudreau shares heartfelt love letter to husband Johnny Gaudreau in powerful Players' Tribune piece
Meredith Gaudreau holds her daughter, during a remembrance ceremony for her husband, Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew (Credit: Getty Image) In a deeply personal essay published by The Players' Tribune, Meredith Gaudreau shared her love story with husband Johnny Gaudreau, who is known to the hockey world as the wife of the NHL forward. Meredith stepped into the spotlight for a different reason by opening up her heart. Her letter wasn't just about romance. It was about resilience, partnership, and the quiet strength that sustains life behind the game-day glare. The letter arrives at a time when fans are eager for stories beyond the rink. Meredith gives them that and more, a chance to see Johnny not just as an athlete but as a husband, father, and companion. A love story shaped by real-life challenges What made Meredith's letter truly resonate was its grounding in reality, there were moments of joy, as well as grief, reflection, and learning, the couple's path hasn't been without hardship, and Meredith writes with courage about the emotional depth of loving someone in the public eye while navigating private pain. Her words remind readers that even in strong partnerships, growth comes. Through vulnerability, and sometimes, strength looks like admitting you're scared and still showing up anyway. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Birçok Türk vatandaşı bunu bilmiyor! HANGİKREDİ Daha Fazla Oku Undo An intimate portrait of life beyond the rink Meredith's letter gives fans something rare in professional sports: a window into real life, Johnny Gaudreau, known for his agility on ice, is seen here through his wife's eyes as a steady presence and a supportive partner. The piece doesn't try to glamorize their relationship. Instead, it honors its ordinariness, the shared meals, the difficult talks, the everyday joys of parenthood. This story is not about stats or trades. It's about people. Meredith Gaudreau's words offer something lasting: a quiet reminder that behind every athlete is a life just as rich and complex as those watching from the stands. Read more: Last sail celebration on the lake turns into a heartwarming spotlight on NHL wives' enduring bonds In telling her story, Meredith invites others to reflect on their own. And in doing so, she reminds us that love, honest, imperfect, and enduring, is worth writing about.
CTV News
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘You loved being a Flame': Meredith Gaudreau reflects on Calgary years in Father's Day love letter to Johnny Hockey
Meredith Gaudreau, left, with husband Johnny and their two children, celebrating Johnny's birthday just a few weeks before he would be tragically killed after a car hit him and his brother while they rode their bikes. (Meredith Gaudreau Instagram) A few days before Father's Day, Meredith Gaudreau penned a love letter to her late husband Johnny that included plenty of fond memories of their time together in Calgary. The article, published Thursday in The Players' Tribune, is a loving reminiscence about her relationship with the former Calgary Flames star, who was killed along with his brother Matthew, struck by a vehicle while cycling on a highway in New Jersey before their sisters' wedding on Aug. 29, 2024. Meredith's article starts at the moment the two met, when Meredith, who was working an all-night shift as a waitress at a Philadelphia diner, opened the door to discover Gaudreau, who she said, 'wasn't much bigger than me.' 'Hey, I'm Johnny,' he said. Johnny Gaudreau algary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau celebrates his goal on Minnesota Wild goalie Cam Talbot during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 28, 2022, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig, File) He's there to meet his buddies and they all end up at a bar in Avalon, a beach town in New Jersey, where Meredith discovers that everyone gravitates toward John, who ends up buying 40 vodkas and sodas for everyone in the bar. 'And I was like, Who is this guy?" she writes. "I didn't know a thing about you. 'But without words, you said so much to me,' she adds. 'I just got to see you and to see the way people saw you.' Eventually, she learned that Gaudreau was a pro hockey player. 'You told me about a place called Calgary,' she said. 'I'd drive to Philadelphia for my night shifts. Seven at night to seven in the morning. I'd come home, sleep for as short as I could, then I'd go find you.' Eventually, Meredith googled Gaudreau and discovered who he was in Canada. 'Eventually I learned all about hockey, and how you were a good player. Sorry, John — but my first thought was, Really? You're not much bigger than me. 'One of the first nights after we hung out I went to YouTube. I typed in 'johnny gaudreau hockey,' and there you were,' she said. 'There were all these people in red, in Calgary, and you were their guy. I couldn't believe it." 'My cell phone wasn't working' Her first visit to Alberta was also her first visit to Canada. 'I landed in Calgary and I didn't know what customs were, or why my cell phone wasn't working, or how I'd ever find your friend to pick me up,' she wrote. 'I was so worried, and then I remember looking at this billboard and there you were, number 13, in your Flames jersey. The coolest guy in town. 'I was thinking, What in the world…….. Where am I?" That first night in Calgary, Meredith went to her first Flames game. "You scored a goal,' she said. 'You were the first star of the night. I saw hundreds of people in GAUDREAU jerseys. It was all so surreal." 'You loved Calgary so much,' she said. 'And I loved that about you. You were so proud to be a Flame. You showed me around town with a big smile on your face. All your favorite spots, your favorite people. 'I liked hearing all the Alberta accents,' she added. 'It still cracks me up to this day. I think we walked every inch of that city together. Pretty soon I fell in love with it, too.' Eventually, the two got married and Meredith moved to Calgary, where Johnny starred for eight years, but the pandemic kept them apart and it was difficult for all their various family members to travel to Alberta, so in July 2022, Gaudreau signed with Columbus to be closer to the east coast. Along the way they had three children -- the youngest, Carter was born seven months after Gaudreau died on Aug. 29, 2024, which was also the fourth anniversary of the day he proposed to Meredith. Gaudreau has been honoured in Columbus, Calgary, at Boston College where he played NCAA hockey, at his high school -- and at the world hockey championships, where the gold-winning USA team brought his jersey on the ice as a tribute when they received their medals. Now, Meredith said their son Noa watches videos of Johnny playing hockey. 'You were humble, you were responsible, you were hard-working. You were the sweetest boyfriend, the greatest husband, and the best father,' she said. 'You wanted everything to be about me and the kids. 'You would have done anything for them. I know that. And they will know it, too. I promise, John."
Daily Mail
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Late NHL star Johnny Gaudreau's widow recalls harrowing moment she was told her husband had been killed
The widow of late NHL star Johnny Gaudreau has opened up on the tragic moment she was told her husband and his brother Matthew had died in a tragic bicycle accident last year. Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were both killed after being hit by a drunk driver while out cycling on a New Jersey highway the night before their sister's wedding in late August 2024. Their passing proved all the more painful given both men were awaiting the birth of children, with Matthew on the verge of becoming a father for the very first time. His wife, Madeline, eventually gave birth to their baby boy, Tripp Matthew, four months later. And in April of this year, Meredith - Johnny's wife of three years before his death - welcomed their third child and second son, Carter Michael. Just over two months since giving birth in heartbreaking circumstances, Meredith has recalled the moment she received the news that her husband and his younger brother had lost their lives in an emotional letter published by The Players' Tribune. Titled 'Thank You For Being Perfect, John', the letter shares a number of special moments from their relationship before moving on to that fateful day in August. 'You kissed all of us goodbye and said you'd see us later. And that was that,' she wrote. Meredith then revealed that Johnny and Matthew's sister Katie, whose wedding day had been shattered in the most harrowing way possible, initially alerted her to the bicycle accident. 'Katie called, and she said something had happened, but she didn't know what exactly,' she added. 'I was thinking the whole time about how I was going to help you through whatever it could be that had happened to Matty. 'And then I walked up the front porch and learned the absolute worst had happened and that it was both of you. 'There aren't any words to go here.' The mom of three said the pain was 'completely indescribable.' 'I was keeled over for days, sick to my stomach,' she continued. 'The only person who can relate to me is my own sister-in-law. I see her and my heart breaks for her. 'I'm sick for her. We had just celebrated their gender reveal. We were all just down the shore together and had so much fun. Matty made me laugh so much that weekend.' Johnny, an NHL veteran who was poised to enter his third season with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2024, married Meredith back in September 2021. The couple then welcomed their first child, daughter Noa, a year later, and son Johnny as recently as March 2024. In a tearful tribute at his funeral back in September, Gaudreau's widow revealed she was pregnant with their third baby following his tragic passing, before giving birth to Carter Michael on April 1, 2025. She concluded in her Players' Tribune letter: 'I love you so much. I miss you every second of every day. I miss you more and more every day as well. My love grows deeper for you each day too.'
National Post
12-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Gaudreau's widow shares heartfelt thoughts in Father's Day tribute
Meredith Gaudreau, the widow of Johnny Gaudreau, penned a touching Father's Day tribute to the late NHL all-star and father of her three children. Article content The piece, which was published on The Players' Tribune on Thursday, also revealed her initial reaction to learning about the tragedy that befell Johnny and his brother Matthew Gaudreau last August. Article content The brothers, who were in their hometown of Salem, N.J., for their sister's wedding, were biking on the evening of Aug. 29, 2024, in nearby Oldmans Township when they were mowed down by a vehicle that was allegedly being operated by an impaired driver. Article content 'Katie (Gaudreau) called and she said something had happened, but she didn't know what exactly. My dad drove me over to your parents and I was thinking the whole time about how I was going to help you through whatever it could be that had happened to Matty. And then I walked up the front porch and learned the absolute worst had happened and that it was both of you,' Meredith wrote as if addressing a letter to Johnny. Article content View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Players' Tribune (@playerstribune) Article content Article content 'I was in shock. I was keeled over for days sick to my stomach. It's completely indescribable. The only person who can relate to me is my own sister-in-law. I see her and my heart breaks for her. I'm sick for her. Article content 'We had just celebrated their gender reveal. We were all just down the shore together and had so much fun. Matty made me laugh so much that weekend. Article content 'I thought of our baby inside of me. I couldn't stand up. I was awake and having nightmares. Thinking of you in that moment. Thinking of Matty. It's just the worst thing I could have ever imagined. Article content Article content In the touching tribute, Meredith also shares stories about meeting the former Flames star, their wedding and the family's move to Columbus, Ohio, after he signed with the Blue Jackets before the 2022-23 season.
