Gaudreau widows share grief and foundation hopes

Two widows recount their grief in an ABC News interview nearly a year after their husbands were killed by an alleged drunk driver in New Jersey.

Widows of Gaudreau brothers share grief after fatal crash

The widows of hockey players Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau spoke with ABC News about their loss, nearly a year after the brothers were killed while cycling on a rural road in Salem County, New Jersey. The driver, Sean Higgins, has been charged with aggravated manslaughter and related counts and has pleaded not guilty. Funeral services for Johnny in Media, Pennsylvania, were held last September, and Matthew’s passing was marked by family and fan tributes. The couple shared their final messages with the brothers, including moments from the farewell at the driveway and their emotions in the days that followed.

Meredith Gaudreau revealed she was pregnant at the time of Johnny’s death and later welcomed a son, Carter, in April 2025. Madeline Gaudreau, who was pregnant with Matthew’s child when he died, welcomed her son Tripp last December. The widows also announced the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation in March to expand youth hockey opportunities and support families affected by tragedy and drunk driving. The foundation aims to turn personal grief into community benefit while keeping the brothers’ memories alive through sport and service.

The interview foregrounds how private grief can become public resonance in the world of sports. By pairing intimate moments with a broader mission, the Gaudreau sisters shift attention from loss to action, using philanthropy to sustain youth hockey and support families touched by drunk driving. That pivot can mobilize donors and fans alike, but it also risks exposing the family to renewed scrutiny during a painful period. Media coverage of such tragedies can offer solidarity while testing the balance between privacy and public remembrance.

Beyond the personal arc, the piece illuminates how athletic communities respond to tragedy. It shows a pathway from tragedy to advocacy that could influence local road-safety conversations and youth programs. Yet readers should beware of turning sorrow into a narrative that sanitizes complexity or crowds out other victims in similar cases. The foundation's work will be judged over time by impact, transparency, and sustained community trust.

Highlights

Grief endures, but action can turn loss into lasting support.