Meredith Gaudreau has been waiting to tell the world about the foundation that will honor her late husband, Johnny, and his brother, Matthew.
On Wednesday, on what would’ve been Johnny’s 32nd birthday, she and Matthew’s wife, Madeline, will appear on ABC’s “Good Morning America” to publicly launch the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation.
“We kind of spent the whole year really trying to take our time, do things right and we’ve already been able to accept a lot of donations,” Meredith told NHL.com on Monday. “A lot of people have really spread the word, so we wanted to make sure we took our time.”
It was less than a year ago when Johnny and Matthew were killed after being struck by an alleged drunk driver while bicycling in New Jersey on Aug. 29, 2024, one day before what was supposed to be their sister’s wedding. Johnny, who played his first full eight NHL seasons with the Calgary Flames, was getting ready for his third with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Matthew, who would’ve turned 30 this past December, was preparing for his first season as an assistant coach for the Philadelphia Rebels of the North American Hockey League.
“He kissed all of us goodbye — just in the driveway at his parents’ house. And that was the last time I saw him,” Meredith said in a clip of the emotional interview posted by ABC on Tuesday.
The foundation, which officially launched in March, not only helps keep the memory of Johnny and Matthew going, it also gives back to the hockey community and the world at large.
“It was never lost on John or Matty how hard their parents (Guy and Jane) worked to get them to where they were,” Meredith said. “John would always say he wouldn’t have been able to have a lot of the resources he had if his dad wasn’t his (hockey) coach. We thought we could give back to other youth hockey associations.
“Then we also wanted to help other hockey families facing tragedies and helping other families affected by drunk driving because unfortunately, at the end of the day, that’s why we’re here. John and Matty would always do little clinics together with kids. Once Matty was done playing he transitioned into coaching, so helping youth organizations is something that spoke to both of them.”
A statement on the foundation’s website says, “John and Matty made a tremendous and everlasting impact on everyone who knew them. In addition to their hockey talents, the boys were known for their kindness. The Foundation’s purpose is to continue giving back to what the boys are passionate about and to ultimately continue to make a positive impact on the world in their honor.”
Meredith, who is co-president with Madeline, said the possibility of starting a foundation was first brought up to her in the days after they lost their husbands.
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