Seven months. That’s how long it’s been since we lost Johnny Gaudreau, but with every month that passes, we miss Johnny even more. He and his brother Matthew, heavily honored and cherished in the NHL community, are and will always be remembered. It’s a loss that the family has slowly been trying to overcome, though tributes like the ones during the Stadium Series have come as a soothing balm. Nonetheless, as Meredith Gaudreau recently shared, there are some things that continue to stir up the grief.
One thing that’s certain about Johnny Gaudreau is that he was a true family man. Apart from his explosiveness on the ice, he was a wonderful father, husband, and son off of it—the pictures on social media say it all. In a recent podcast appearance on the Never Offside with Julie & Cat show, his wife Meredith Gaudreau reaffirmed that very fact. But at the same time, she revealed how difficult it’s been for the family to adjust, especially for her father-in-law Guy Gaudreau, who is a hockey coach. He retired a few years back and intended to train with his son for the 4 Nations Face-Off and Olympics before the tragic accident occurred.
Meredith, in the conversation, states how hard it’s been for Guy to have to abandon the plans he’d long since laid out. “He retired a couple years ago, like almost with the intention of, you know, getting to travel more and see John play more and catch more games. And he coached them, you know, all their lives. This past summer, particularly too trained John again, knowing like 4 Nations was coming up and had like the Olympics kind of as like an end goal too.”
She also mentioned that he had trained his sons last summer. Not something he did always, but happened to do this time; ultimately, it’s comforting to know that he had such a memorable last few weeks with his sons, filled with good moments.
“So I think particularly for him it’s been hard because just this past summer he was like—he didn’t always train with John every single summer—but this summer he did. And that’s been hard, and I think even this summer Matthew too was setting up ice time time with John and, you know, running skates with him also, so I think he, you know, he has all that to remember.
Hard is probably an understatement. To lose your son, especially after all the plans you had for and with him, is as heartbreaking as it is unfortunate. But the brothers’ memory isn’t being laid to rest. Rather, it’s being honored in a number of ways.
Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau’s wives launch the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation
The wives of the two brothers took the initiative to mark the brothers’ legacy and carry on the legacy that they left behind. The two brothers were also known for their kindhearted nature apart from their hockey pursuits.
Though the foundation has been accepting donations these past few months, it was officially launched on social media earlier today. Taking to Instagram, the wives jointly released a statement saying, “John and Matty have made a tremendous and everlasting impact on everyone who knew them. In addition to their hockey talents, the boys were known for their kindness.” They also urged their fans to show support for the initiative and contribute.
One of the recent donation drives occurred via the limited edition sweatshirts that Meredith Gaudreau designed in collaboration with the Blue Jackets and LineChangeCo. These sweatshirts were inspired by the Blue Jackets’ third jersey colors, in a tribute to the brothers, with all the proceeds from sales going to the foundation.
The foundation aims to promote “youth hockey initiatives, supporting hockey families that have faced tragedy and helping other families that have been affected by drunk driving, like ours.”
The strength and conviction the two women have shown in these months is indeed something to be applauded. To keep the brothers’ legacy alive by extending the work they did in their lifetimes. While their untimely demise remains a constant source of grief for all, the foundation and its initiatives certainly give everyone a reason to smile.
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