The wives of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau deliver touching eulogies at funeral service
6ABC Philadelphia
Meredith and Madeline Gaudreau — the wives of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau — just gave eulogies to their husbands a little over a week after they were tragically killed by a suspected drunk driver … and the two speeches were heartbreaking.
The funeral for the NHL superstar and his little bro took place at St. Mary Magdalen Church in Pennsylvania — the same venue where the brothers’ sister was set to tie the knot just before the two passed away.
Madeline took to the podium first … and thanked everyone for their outpouring of support — before she spoke about when she first met Matthew.
“This last week has felt like a nightmare I can’t wake up from,” she said. “I feel numb, angry, sad, blessed all at once. Some days, the thought of this new reality is debilitating, but most of all, I just miss Matt.”
She then dove into how excited he was to become a father to their child … who is expected to be born on New Year’s Eve.
“The moment we found out about our son, Trip, it consumed his every day,” she said. “He was downloading apps, ordering books, finding the best diaper brands. Making sure I had the best vitamin and asking for tips from John.”
Meredith then gave her eulogy to Johnny — the Columbus Blue Jackets’ best player — and much like Madeline’s … it was a touching tribute to her husband.
“There aren’t even words that can touch on how to describe my love for John,” she said. “From his messy curly hair to the crow’s feet around his dark brown eyes. His dimples, his smile, the sound of his voice, his scruffy beard and the softest skin.”
“His strong, skinny legs and his crazy-looking hockey feet. His sense of humor, his humbleness, his shyness, his manners, and his laugh. I love you, John, so much.”
She thanked the Calgary Flames and the city for being so good to Johnny … and said that she would take their kids to the city one day to show them an area that meant a lot to him.
She also spoke to the city of Columbus and the Blue Jackets organization… saying she’s “shattered” not to have more time in their “amazing city with John.”
“Columbus, thank you for taking care of us when we were experiencing so many changes at once,” she said. “You so quickly became a home and became our family, and the memories we made in Columbus as a growing family are the best years of my life.”
Meredith also revealed she’s nine weeks pregnant with the couple’s third child.
Johnny was 31 years old. Matthew was 29.
RIP