On Saturday, October 12, Madeline Gaudreau celebrated her baby shower, just weeks after the tragic death of her husband, Matthew Gaudreau, and his brother, Johnny Gaudreau. The two men lost their lives in a car accident in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, on August 29, the day before their sister’s wedding.
Madeline is expecting her first child with Matthew, a boy they plan to name Tripp. She shared photos from the shower on Instagram, showcasing her blue dress against a backdrop of blue, white, and beige balloons. Signs at the event read, “A Little Piece of Heaven” and “Welcome To Our Baby Shower Matty & Madeline.” She captioned her post, “Baby Shower of my Dreams ,” thanking @gabriellevasaturo for hosting and praising @bitesizedsis for the beautiful decorations, noting that her husband would have loved the balloons.
Madeline expressed her gratitude for the support of her friends and family. “Nothing will bring his dad back or Uncle John,” she said, “but I am glad he has so many amazing people around him to remind him how amazing they were.” Her sister-in-law, Katie Gaudreau, also shared photos from the shower, writing, “Felt the love from your Daddy and Uncle John today. We love you, Tripp Matthew.”
Meredith Gaudreau, Johnny’s widow, attended the shower and shared her support on Instagram. “I got you. We got this,” she wrote over a photo of herself with Madeline. “So proud of you. Already the best mom.” Meredith recently announced that she is expecting their third child. She and Johnny, who played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, have two children: daughter Noa, 2, and son Johnny, 8 months.
Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were killed in the August 29 accident when an alleged drunk driver struck them while they were biking. Sean M. Higgins has been accused of erratic driving that led to the crash, which happened at a high rate of speed, killing both brothers instantly. Evidence revealed Higgins had a blood-alcohol level of .087, exceeding the legal limit of .08.
During a hearing last month, Judge Michael Silviano described Higgins’ behavior as “road rage-like” and noted that he was so impaired that he failed to see the brothers riding safely on the road.
In a statement to WBZ-TV reporter Dan Roche following the crash, the family expressed their grief: “Last night we lost two husbands, two fathers, two sons, two brothers, two nephews, two cousins, two family members, two teammates, and two friends—truly two amazing humans.” They thanked the community for their messages of support and requested privacy during this difficult time.
After her husband’s death, Madeline posted on Instagram, “Best 14 years of my life. I will cherish those years and you for the rest of my life.”
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