Johnny Gaudreau’s wife gives tribute to Columbus at husband’s funeral
“I’m so glad we got to learn the hidden gem that is Columbus, Ohio together.”
Nearing the one-year anniversary of their husbands’ deaths, the widows of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau will discuss the tragedy that took their lives with ABC’s Good Morning America on Aug. 13.
A recorded interview with Meredith and Madeline Gaudreau will air on the nationally televised morning show on what would’ve been Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau’s 32nd birthday.
To preview the exclusive interview, GMA released a segment of the discussion via social media. In it, the widows discuss the evening Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were killed on Aug. 29, 2024 after being struck by an alleged drunk driver while biking together in Oldmans Township, New Jersey near their parents’ home.
Their sister Katie, the youngest of four siblings, was preparing for her wedding the next day. Asked what she remembers about the evening of the accident, Meredith Gaudreau recalled the brothers’ departure.
“(John) kissed all of us goodbye, just in the driveway of his parents’ house,” she said. “That was the last time I saw him.”
The couple had two young children at the time – a daughter, Noa, and her infant brother, Johnny – and Meredith announced during her eulogy that she was pregnant with their third child, Carter, another boy.
Madeline Gaudreau was also pregnant with she and Matthew’s only child, Tripp, whom they’d already named together.
“There’s no healing when you didn’t get a goodbye,” Madeline Gaudreau said in the preview of the GMA interview.
The widows were also asked what they said in their final goodbyes to their husbands.
“I just said that I would take care of our kids,” Meredith Gaudreau said, “and I thanked him for such a great life.”
Madeline gave viewers a heartbreaking vision of her message for Matthew.
“I was, I can’t remember, maybe four months pregnant at the time,” she said. “Tripp was kicking a lot, so I just held Matt’s hand on my belly for Tripp. I don’t want to say ‘goodbye’ to either one of them (Johnny or Matthew), because I know I will see them again one day.”
Good Morning America airs at 7 a.m. weekdays.
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social