More heartbreaking details have emerged following the deaths of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau. The siblings tragically lost their lives after a drunk driver crashed into them while riding their bikes. On Monday, the NHL player was laid to rest, and the truth about the legacy he left behind was unveiled.
During the late Columbus Blue Jackets player’s funeral, his wife Meredith Gaudreau dropped a bombshell revelation. She announced that she was pregnant with her and Johnny’s third child while giving a moving eulogy. “We’re actually a family of five. I’m in my ninth week of pregnancy with our third baby. A total surprise, but again, John was beaming and so excited,” she said amid tears. The heartbroken widow admitted she was “nervous” to tell her late husband because the pregnancy was unplanned. “But his reaction was just immediately kissing me and hugging me, even though I was driving the car,” she heartily recalled, per ABC News. Meredith spoke on the beauty of their short-lived marriage, telling the crowd:
“In less than three years of marriage, we’ve created a family of five. It doesn’t even sound possible, but I look at it as the ultimate blessing. How lucky am I to be the mother of John’s three babies? Our last one being a blessing and so special despite these difficult circumstances.”
Meredith’s pregnancy revelation adds an extra layer of sadness. Matthew’s wife, Madeline Gaudreau, is also pregnant with her first child. A GoFundMe launched to support her has raised over $650,000 as of this writing.
Johnny Gaudreau’s Widow Called Him ‘The Absolute Best Dad’
Meredith’s tear-jerking words at her husband’s funeral tally with the heartfelt tribute she paid to him a day after his tragic passing. In an Instagram post, she broke her silence on her loss, gushing about the bond they shared. “Thank you for the best years of my life. Despite losing you, I am still the luckiest girl in the world to have been yours,” she wrote. “I love you so so much.” She also gushed about how Johnny was a great father to their two children, Noa and Johnny.
“The absolute best dad in the world. So caring and loving. The best partner to go through parenthood with. John never missed a single appointment. Was the best at putting the baby to sleep and the Apple of Noa’s eye.”
43-year-old Sean Higgins was named as the drunk driver who killed Johnny and Matthew. Higgins, who allegedly consumed five or six beers before the crash, was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide.
