Meredith Gaudreau, the wife of late NHL star Johnny Gaudreau, announced she’s pregnant with the couple’s third baby during her emotional eulogy at his memorial service.
“We’re actually a family of five,” Meredith — who shared daughter Noa, 23 months, and son Johnny, 6 months, with her late husband — said at his Monday, September 9 funeral held at St. Mary Magdalen Parish outside Philadelphia. “I’m in my ninth week of pregnancy with our third baby. A total surprise, but again, John was beaming and so excited.”
Meredith added, “I was so nervous because this was, again, a total surprise. But his reaction was just immediately kissing me and hugging me even though I was driving the car. After the initial excitement sank in, every time he looked at me, he would say, ‘You’re nuts, you know that? Three kids?’”
Johnny and brother Matthew Gaudreau were struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver while riding bikes together on Thursday, August 29. Johnny was 31 years old.
“Noa, our oldest, hasn’t even turned two yet,” Meredith continued on Monday. “In less than three years of marriage, we’ve created a family of five. It doesn’t even sound possible. But I look at it as the ultimate blessing. How lucky am I to be the mother of John’s three babies? Our last one being a blessing and so special, despite these difficult circumstances.”
She added, “To my babies, daddy loves you all so much and you have the best daddy in the world.”
Madeline Gaudreau, wife to the late Matthew, is also pregnant with the couple’s first child, set to be named Tripp. “I’m so thankful God gave us a child, a little Matty, to run around for life, to carry on his legacy,” she said during her own speech on Monday. “Tripp will know how much his father loved him, and I promise to do all the things with him we talked about.”
During her tearful, nearly 40-minute speech, Meredith gave a special mention to Johnny and Matthew’s parents, Guy and Jane.
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Guy and Jane are also parents of daughters Kristen and Katie, the latter of whom was scheduled to get married the day after Johnny and Matthew were killed.
“I also pray that my children grow up to be as close with each other as your children are,” Meredith said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
