Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau’s Widows Share Plans for 1st Anniversary of Their Deaths

Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau’s widows Meredith and Madeline will spend the first anniversary of their husbands’ deaths together with their children.

Madeline and Meredith spoke to The Athletic ahead of this Friday, Aug. 29, which will mark one year since Matthew and Johnny were tragically struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver on the eve of their sister’s wedding. The wives revealed their plans to spend the day together with their children — two of whom were born after Matthew and Johnny’s deaths — on the Jersey Shore.

According to the outlet, Madeline expressed that the anniversary holds no significance to her, because, “every day without Matty is painful.”

Meredith and Madeline, who created the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation to “do a lot of good and help people who need help,” Meredith said, are now hoping to create new, happy memories with their children after the tragedy. “A lot of times when Matt and John are spoken about, it’s with a lot of sadness and heaviness, and rightfully so,” Madeline said.

“But I want to change the narrative, and rather than talking about the tragic way we lost them and how they should be here, talking about the foundation and what we’re doing with it is what I’m trying to do,” she added.

On Aug. 12, Madeline and Meredith sat down with Good Morning America, where they opened up about life after the loss and parenting their children. Madeline, who was pregnant at the time of Matthew’s death and welcomed her and Matthew’s son Tripp Matthew in December, described her husband as “a pure, happy, good soul” and “fearless.”

“He made me a better person,” she said.

Meredith, meanwhile, welcomed her and Johnny’s third child on April 1, and included a special tribute to her late husband in her newborn’s name. “I had our third baby! 4/1/25. Another baby boy 🥹💙” she wrote in the caption. “Carter Michael Gaudreau – same middle name as his daddy. 8lb 3 ounces, 20.5 inches – exact same as his daddy. He looks exactly like his daddy too 🥰.”

“I love you so much my baby!” she added. “We are going to have so much fun. I can’t wait to give you the best life, my special boy forever.”

Johnny and Matthew were biking on Country Route 551 North just after 8 p.m. when a driver suspected to be under the influence of alcohol attempted to pass another car and fatally hit the brothers, New Jersey State Police confirmed to PEOPLE at the time.