The pain of losing a loved one never truly goes away, and for the Gaudreau family, that grief is still very raw nearly a year after tragedy struck. In an emotional interview with ABC News, the widows of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau opened up about the heartbreaking loss of their husbands, who were killed in August 2024 by an alleged drunk driver.
Meredith Gaudreau, the widow of NHL star Johnny, shared through tears the weight of her family’s sorrow. “Our kids didn’t deserve this,” she said. “John and Matty didn’t even deserve that, especially the way it happened. There is no healing when you didn’t get a goodbye. It keeps me up at night.”
At the time of the crash, Meredith was pregnant with their third child. She already had a daughter, Noa, and a young son, Johnny. In April 2025, she gave birth to their baby boy, Carter, just months after saying goodbye to her husband. At Johnny’s funeral, she made a vow. She promised to care for their children and “thanks him for such a great life.”
Meredith also announced her pregnancy during her husband’s funeral service, a bittersweet moment of hope in the middle of deep loss. Looking back on her final moments with Johnny, she recalled, “He kissed all of us goodbye — just in the driveway at his parents’ house, and that was the last time I saw him.”
Matthew Gaudreau’s widow, Madeline, was four months pregnant with their first child at the time of the crash. Their son, Tripp Matthew, was born in December 2024, three months after Matthew’s death. “I can’t even remember. Maybe I was four months pregnant at the time,” she said. “Tripp was kicking a lot, so I just held Matt’s hand on my belly for Tripp. I didn’t want to say goodbye to either of them because I know I will see them again one day.”
Johnny was just 31, and Matthew was 28, when they were hit while riding bikes on a road in Salem County, New Jersey. The accident happened the day before their sister Katie’s wedding on August 29, 2024 — a day that was supposed to be filled with joy and celebration.
Instead, the Gaudreau family was left devastated.
Sean Higgins, 44, is the man charged in the case. Police reported his blood alcohol level was .087, over New Jersey’s legal limit. He also failed a field sobriety test, and officers said he had been driving aggressively, speeding around other vehicles before striking the brothers.
Higgins faces two counts of aggravated manslaughter, two counts of vehicular homicide, evidence tampering, and leaving the scene of an accident. In January, he rejected a plea deal of 35 years in prison. If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 70 years.
In April, a judge upheld the charges, rejecting the defense’s attempt to argue that the brothers’ own drinking had contributed to their deaths.
While grief is still heavy, both women lean on their faith and the promise that God can bring beauty from ashes — trusting that their husbands’ lives continue to make an impact.