— Meredith Gaudreau Shares Heartbreaking Essay on Losing Her Husband Johnny Gaudreau
June 12, 2025 — In a powerful and deeply personal essay published Thursday by The Player’s Tribune, Meredith Gaudreau opens up about the devastating moment she learned that her husband, NHL star Johnny Gaudreau, had died. The essay, titled “Before the Wedding”, is a raw, intimate recounting of love, loss, and the fragile beauty of everyday moments that now feel out of reach.
Johnny, 31, and his younger brother Matthew, 29, were tragically killed last August when they were struck by an alleged drunk driver while riding bicycles near their hometown. The accident happened just days before the wedding of their sister, Gina—an event that was meant to be a joyful family reunion turned into a nightmare none of them could have imagined.
“I knew something was wrong before the phone even rang.”
In the essay, Meredith describes waking up to her phone buzzing at an unusual hour. She recalls the sinking feeling in her stomach and the dread that immediately overcame her as she heard the trembling voice on the other end of the line.
“It was Johnny’s dad,” she writes. “He didn’t have to say the words. I already knew. You just… know. Everything in me shut down.”
What follows is a heart-wrenching account of Meredith trying to hold herself together for the sake of their three young children. The couple had welcomed their third child just months before the accident. “I had to be strong for them, but I didn’t feel strong. I felt shattered,” she writes.
A Love Story That Grew Across Cities and Seasons
The essay is not only about loss—it’s also a tribute to the life they built together. Meredith takes readers back to the beginning: how they met in college, how their bond deepened as Johnny’s hockey career took off, and how their love only grew stronger as they navigated cross-country moves and the pressures of professional sports.
She recalls their time in Calgary, where Johnny played for the Flames for nine seasons and became a fan favorite known for his quick hands and humble demeanor. When the family relocated to Columbus, Ohio, it was a leap of faith—but one they made together.
“We didn’t choose Columbus because it was easy. We chose it because we could grow there—as parents, as partners, and as people,” Meredith writes. “Johnny always made every city feel like home because he was home.”
A Family Torn Apart by a Preventable Tragedy
Meredith doesn’t shy away from the circumstances of Johnny and Matthew’s death. With courage and clarity, she addresses the senselessness of the tragedy:
“One man made a choice that night—a choice to drink and drive. And in doing so, he took two incredible people from this world. He took a husband, a father, a brother, a son. I’ll never understand it. I’ll never forgive it.”
The loss of two Gaudreau brothers—both well-known and deeply loved in the hockey world—sent shockwaves across the NHL and beyond. Vigils were held, teams paid tribute, and tributes poured in from former teammates, coaches, and fans. But for Meredith, the grief is ongoing and intensely personal.
Living Through the Unthinkable
In the final passages of the essay, Meredith reflects on what it means to carry on. She speaks about reading bedtime stories to their children, about still instinctively reaching for Johnny’s hand in the night, and about the strength she didn’t know she had until she had no other choice.
“He was the love of my life. Still is. I talk to him every day, in quiet ways—when the kids are laughing, when I’m driving alone, when I see his jersey framed in the hallway.”
She ends with a plea to others: “Please, don’t drink and drive. Don’t put another family through this. If you think one choice doesn’t matter—read this again.”
Meredith Gaudreau’s words are not just a tribute—they are a testimony to enduring love and unimaginable loss. Through her grief, she honors Johnny and Matthew’s legacy, keeping their memories alive not just in the public eye, but in the quiet, everyday rhythms of family, faith, and hope.
Rest in peace, Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. You are missed beyond measure.