Meredith Gaudreau revealed a new detail about the night her husband, Johnny Gaudreau , and his brother, Matthew , were killed by a suspected drunk driver. “I want to say to everyone that neither John [nor] Matty suffered,” Meredith said during her Monday, September 9 eulogy for the brothers at St. Mary Magdalen Parish outside Philadelphia.
Johnny, a forward for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Matthew were struck and killed while riding bikes in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, on August 29. Sean M. Higgins , the man arrested and charged with the brothers’ deaths, was suspected to be drunk when he collided with Johnny and Matthew from behind.
“As a result of the collision, the two pedal cyclists sustained fatal injuries,” the New Jersey State Police said at the time. Higgins was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and remains behind bars awaiting a Friday, September 13 hearing on his pretrial conditions. Johnny was 31 years old at the time of his death, while Matthew was 29.
“It makes me feel better knowing whatever silly conversation they were having just picked right back up in heaven in a flash,” Meredith said during her emotional speech. “I can hear their laughs so well in the back of my head. Something else that is getting me through is that they would not want to see me like this because they were both so sweet and cared so much about other people.
” She added, “I’m trying, for them, to spread that message and to be more like them. Kind to ever.