Johnny Gaudreau's widow delivers eulogy, reveals she's pregnant with couple's third child

John, I love you so much. I'm sorry this is very long. But every time I read this over, I think of more and more things I want to say. I don't know where to begin or how to stop what I'm describing. My love for John. I want to thank you everyone for being here and for your support, for my family. Seeing everyone these past couple of days has been so touching from Sweden to Calgary to Columbus to Boston, the Midwest, Florida, Vermont, Canada, an entire family and group of friends flew here from the night of their wedding and it really means so much so on behalf of my entire family. Thank you for your support. There aren't even words that can touch on how to describe my love for John from his messy curly hair to the crow's feet around his dark brown eyes, his dimples, his smile, the sound of his voice, his scruffy beard and the softest skin, his strong skinny legs and his crazy looking hockey feet, his sense of humor, his humbleness, his shyness, his manners and his laugh. I love you John so much. He didn't have a bad bone in his body. He never spoke badly about anyone most humble person I've ever met. Zero ego, quiet, sweet and shy. He was everything more that I only dreamed about finding in a husband. And then he made all my dreams come true. But the thing with me from the day I met him is that every day I strive to be more like him. He did everything he was supposed to and he did everything right. He made me a better person and that I'll be forever grateful for, but I'm not the perfect one he is and I'll just quickly say opposites attract. And I promised John if I ever had the opportunity, I would go for it even though of course he didn't want me to. And this will be one of the few times during this eulogy that I'm probably gonna make him cringe. But to Michael Buble or Michael Bubble as John pronounced it as he read your name on Twitter. My husband had no idea who you were that day. He came across your mockery of him on Twitter. Sorry reg but I had to I got your back as I said before, despite losing my husband way too soon, I still feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be his wife. And here's why I met John in June of 2018, all his friends around him and his entire family, so quiet, so kind, so generous, so cute. The second I saw him, I can't explain it, but I knew I was going to marry the boy next door with the mohawk. We didn't even really talk that night, but I just knew and each day after that kept getting better and better. We were next door neighbors in Avalon where our story begins. I would travel back and forth from my night shifts to spend the day with him and he would stay on the shore overnight by himself waiting for me to get back down. If you know John at all, you know, he doesn't like sleeping anywhere alone. So as I got to know this about him, I I knew he really liked me and that this was special. He was my person. And when, you know, you know, it wasn't any more complicated than that he was and still is my soul mate. And I just knew he would be from the second I saw his adorable smile and his eyes that I was so obsessed with Labor Day weekend came and summer ended. And before I knew it, it was September and I was digging around for my passport to go see him soon enough, I was moving all my shifts around to line up with his game schedule. Now it's Christmas time and I convinced him to come home to surprise his family, even though it was only for three days. Of course, it was that I could see him too. December. 23rd. He told me to come over to his parents' house because they were having a bonfire. I showed up and he didn't even tell his family I was coming. But this night sealed the deal for me. I had never been to Carneys Point before. I had never heard of this small town. Just 40 minutes away from where I grew up. He sends me his location because his address didn't even populate correctly on the map. Mhm. His family welcomed me with open arms even though they barely knew me. I spent the night in his childhood twin size bed, a few feet away from Maddie who was in his twin size bed too. The wallpaper border was footballs and soccer balls and a lacrosse stick. And of course, a hockey puck. This is his home and where he spends his summers a little different from his, uh, in Calgary. I'm thinking to myself, he's far into his NHL career now and he could have it all. But this is all he wants to be in his childhood bedroom, two twin beds, side by side with his brother. He's different and he's special and this whole family is, I love everything about him. And this entire situation I'm 26 now and I'm still living at home too and I have to admit I was only 25 when I stopped sleeping in my twin size bed next to my older sister. I felt like I found my match. I rang in 2019 with him and Calgary Katie by her side. And I'm proud to say I've spent every New Year's Eve with her since in February. I traveled with his family to his all star weekend side note. He won the Silts competition for the second year in a row and I'm making him cringe again but have to. But after the weekend, we went to Napa Valley on our first trip together, our tour guide said he was married with five kids and we had a lot of wine at this point. But I looked over at John even though it was only a few months into our relationship. And I said that's going to be us one day. He didn't say anything back, but he held my hand tight and just smiled at me. The season finished in summer of 2019. Passed by my trips to Calgary got longer and longer. He asked me to come for Christmas and to stay for the rest of the season. However, he asked me this on December 20th. So needless to say it didn't quite happen another New Year's Eve in Calgary, but not soon after COVID hit and John comes home, we are now inseparable, late nights playing card games and sharing sweatshirts and sweatpants with how you can find us. I would go with him to the gym, watch him do his workouts. I'd sit with him at his dentist appointments in the exam room. And I sat in the chair next to him while he got his hair cut, he'd bring his Xbox into the room. I was sleeping in for my night shifts to be closer to me. It was so sweet that I didn't have the heart to tell him. He was highly distracting me from getting any sleep at all. But he said he just wanted to be close to me. He came with me to run all my errands and sometimes drove me to work. People must have thought we were so weird, but we didn't think anything of it. His schedule was mine and mine was his and jumping ahead. But he even stood next to me in all of my weekly bump photos. It was so funny and cute at the time. These pictures are even more special now to me, we were best friends. He is my soul mate. The COVID summer of 2020 rolls around and it's been two years since the day we met John's off to Edmonton to finish the hockey season in the bubble. A month goes by and he comes back home, he lands at the airport and comes straight to the hospital where I was working to come see me even though it was only for 20 minutes during my break in the middle of the night. And then later that week, he proposed to me, we get married in the next summer and soon after our expecting our first baby. It's everything we've ever wanted. It was this summer that John made the difficult decision to say bye to Calgary. He did it to be closer to his family, plain and simple. He wanted his parents and his siblings to be able to see more games and spend more time with us and our baby on the way immediately. Everything was for our baby that was not even born yet. And I know it's getting repetitive, but he truly was a family first guy. And this is something about him I admired to the city of Calgary and the Flames organization. I want to specifically thank you all for the outpouring love and support you have John myself and our family. Thank you to the many of you that traveled this far to be here with us. It's your memories, videos, tributes and kind words and I'm so tightly holding on to to one day show our babies how truly special their daddy was and how loved he was. Thank you for that. Carry such a special place in John's heart and mind. I really am blown away by your kindness. But at the same time, I'm not surprised at all because I have been lucky enough to call Calgary my home with John. I got to experience firsthand what kind of people you are? John was so kind because having lived there for about 10 years, he became a Calgary as well. I still plan to one day show our kids the city of Calgary and where their daddy experienced some of the best times of his life where he made lifelong friends and where he called home for 10 years. Thank you for being our home away from home and for loving John so so much. He's forever a flame and I'm so proud of that and so proud to call Calgary Calgary my home away from home as well to Columbus and our Blue jackets family. I can't describe how shattered I am that I don't get more time in your amazing city with John the most underrated city. I'm so glad we got to learn the hidden gem that is Columbus, Ohio. Together we had our first baby the same week we moved to Columbus for John's first season as a Blue Jacket. We welcomed our daughter, Noah. Daddy's twin. John instantly was the best dad in the world, so cautious, so gentle, so loving and nurturing absolutely in love with this little girl who never missed a single one of daddy's games. No, it is John's light that shines through every day. The happiest little girl with black curly hair and the darkest brown eyes you've ever seen shaped just like her daddy's Columbus. Thank you for taking care of us when we were experiencing so many changes at once. He so quickly became home and became our family and the memories we made in Columbus as a growing family are the best years of my life without having to explain all the little details know that there were so many little signs as we got to know the city that truly made us feel reassured that we had made the right choice. Choosing Columbus. Thank you to the fifth line and the Blue Jackets organization for your love and support and comforting words, John was so proud to wear your colors every single day. He knew and appreciated how special of a community you are. He felt comfortable and he felt like he fit right in. Thank you for giving him that feeling of comfort, security and belonging when he was enduring a massive change. You know, it's a special place when the hockey season is over, but you're not quite ready to pack up and go home yet. And that is Columbus the way I describe. Columbus is similar to the way I describe John, you have to come and find out for yourself. And then once you know it, you love it. Something else I love about John is how laid back he was about everything. Sometimes too laid back. Most of his pregame interviews, you can find him wearing my clothes, my slippers, my hat that had his my family's dog embroidered on it. First, the nice clothes I would buy him specifically for the limelight. He couldn't care less. He would wake up early with the kids on even on busy game days. To help me. Some mornings I would try to get him to change before going to the ring for an interview because he was covered in spit up. But he would just say no, I like it there. He was proud of it. And off he went, there was one time he was rushing and rushing to get changed and came flying down the steps wearing one of my maternity sweatshirts. I begged him to change out of his out of it, but he argued that it fit and looked fine. So then they started laying out his clothes every single night no matter what was on the schedule. The next day, he was so innocently sweet with everything he did. I was really busy one morning trying to get the babies and myself ready for an event. And John so nervously interrupted me to ask what I had picked out for him to wear as well. I'll miss this so much. All I ever wanted to do was take care of her and make her happy. And he also never ever left the house without kissing all of us. Goodbye to John's teammates from growing up at Hollydale to Boston College to the NHL. You were a huge part of John's happiness. He was a guy guy and loved being around all the boys. He got to live his dream every single day and he never took a single one for granted. I know all his closest friends are here today, but I'd like to specifically say something to Kevin. He and Sean Mahan. You've both known John longer than I have, which means you helped shape him into the man I fell in love with. He looked up to you both on and off the ice. You are his brothers, which means you're my brothers too. Thank you for being there with me for when you're experiencing such a great loss as well. Some of my favorite memories with John have both of you right there with us. Whatever he was laughing at on his phone or taking pictures of, I knew it was something that he's sending to one of you, Sean. John loved you so much. Such an effortless and genuine bond. I was honored to be a part of as one of a kind as John was. I think you are as close as it gets to being just like him. Whatever you did he copied. If you got a new truck, we were in the truck lot the next day you got a golden doodle. John gotta go and doodle. If you were at the dog park, we were on our way. If you were leaving the party, John was grabbing me to leave also. I'm sorry to put you on the spot and I'm sure John's cringing at me right now too. But no, you made John the most excited for hockey that I've ever seen when you signed in Columbus and I'm heartbroken for you that he cannot be with you on the ice. But I'm rooting for you every single night. And I know John is too. That's your special guardian angel. Now, Kevin, you and your family were a huge part of John's upbringing into this crazy NHL life. He looked up to you and he loved being around your brother and sisters. I think summers spent at the Hayes reminded him of his own family. So I know this is something he cherished the friendship and bond you have created despite any distance, is so strong and admirable. John would always show me the sentimental and hilarious reels that you had sent him on Instagram about brotherhood because he was just truthfully so honored by them. You've been through so much and you were never not there for John no matter what. You were a great, great person to your core and John loved you so much. I love you guys. And I want to thank you for being the best, best friends to John. I think that's the last time we'll make John cringe during this eulogy. It's never ending. Another year goes by and here comes our second baby just 17 months after Noah John got his boy. I've never seen John so surprised in his life. He was so proud, immediately shedding happy tears and absolutely beaming. He kept looking at me and saying I could not believe you gave me a boy when we were discussing names. We were going back and forth with suggestions. But all of a sudden John cut me off and said I can't not name my son John if we have a boy. So John, it was a family name of three generations now that I'm so proud, proud to be a part of John. Want me to take this time to mention baby Johnny's size. He's in the 93rd percentile for his weight, which is something daddy is very proud of a little unit. He would always say it's funny though because he looks nothing like John. His eyes are blue and his hair is lighter and so far pretty straight. But I do think baby Johnny has his dad's hands. Perfect, beautiful hands. I've always thought let's hope he inherits his dad's hockey hands too. John. I promise to have baby Johnny on skates soon and to be a dedicated hockey mom that drives any distance to all the tournaments and I'll wake up early for the games even if that means baby Johnny shows up in Winnie the pooh pajamas and sleeps on the bench just like you did pop up. We'll coach him and trip but no pressure. Baby Johnny, mommy and daddy will be proud of you no matter where life takes you. But I have a feeling it's taking you straight to Hollydale to start John and I had the best six months as a family of four. These will forever be the best six months of my life. There's specifically one week that I will cherish forever. It will be my favorite week of my life. Out of those six months, we're actually a family of five. I'm in my ninth week of pregnancy with our third baby. A total surprise. But again, John was beaming and so excited. I was so nervous because this was again a total surprise. But his reaction was just immediately kissing me and hugging me even though I was driving the car after the initial excitement sank in every time he looked at me, he would just say you're nuts. You know that three kids. Noah, our oldest hasn't even turned two yet. In less than three years of marriage, we've created a family of five. It doesn't even sound possible, but I look at it as the ultimate blessing. How lucky am I to be the mother of John's three babies? Our last one being a blessing and so special despite these difficult circumstances to my babies, daddy loves you all so much and you have the best daddy in the world. The early mornings with two under two were hard, but John truly never ever complained. He would do his workouts during nap times even though it hung over his head all morning. And he drove to different rinks every week to skate, depending on where we work, whatever works best for our family was exactly what John always did. He never lost sight of what was most important to him, which was time with his family. The story I'm about to share is a perfect example of why I love John so much and why he was such a special husband, father, son, brother and uncle. So we don't exactly have a home of our own here yet. We have a beach house, but it's in a small town about 1 to 2 hours away from where we grew up. It's a very special town to us since it's where we met and where we got engaged, but never quite felt like home fully given its seasonal vacation town feel the house is beautiful with everything you can need. If we were ever down the shore for a few days by ourselves, he'd start calling everyone in our family to see what their schedules were and if they could come down the shore with us, but if they couldn't, he would look at me like what are we doing here and, and insist on packing up and going to wherever our siblings or our parents were. So multiple duffel bags, coolers of baby of the baby's food pack and plays toys, monitors, sound machines would all get thrown into multiple bags and off, we went back home to the suburbs. The beautiful house on the water would sit empty and he always left his g wagon for my brother to use for his bar backing chips. No problem John sent me this long text on August 4th and I quote, I said this before and this is corny, but I love the shore and the big house and the nice things that we get to give our kids. But the things I enjoy more is watching how excited Noah gets when your mom comes home from work or how fired up she is when she sees my dad come in from a bike ride or how she screams Emma. When we pull up to South Valley or when she spends time with Logan and Cameron, she doesn't get to see them all very much during the season. So it's awesome how excited she is when she spends time with them. I love the shore and it's been a rough summer with all the stuff we've had to do with weddings. But soon we will have our own home and we can host everyone a lot more and it's closer for everyone. And then when everyone goes down the shore, we'll go too. But, yeah, I love the shore, but I love how much Noah loves being with her family. I really do mean it, John, that's not corny at all. That's why I love you and that's why you're perfect. So, back to our childhood bedrooms, we would go to our parents' houses except now we're squeezing in pack and place and cribs strollers, boxes of diapers, bottles and tins of formula dumped all over the entryway and across the kitchen counter. Bail on everyone's couch and dirty diapers and Minnie Mouse toys were everywhere. Oh. And his hockey equipment that was airing out any space he could find my mom would come home from work around six to see our car in the driveway and immediately knew she was going to be making an eight pm homemade dinner that John was waiting for all day. And she always did. John's mother, Jane would see us and immediately use a vacation day for the following morning. Or he would purposely go over to her house on Thursday nights knowing she was off on Fridays. Everyone spoiled John but he deserved every second of it. People would laugh as we slept on the couches and on the floor knowing our big house in Avalon was completely empty. Everyone would say, why are you here in the middle of the summer and not at the beach? But we knew why he could talk all of us into doing whatever he wanted to do? No problem. What's for dinner? Ask John what he wants. If I open a bottle of wine, John, will you have some he'd say just open it and we'll get more tomorrow to my parents in law Jane and g my baby's mom, mom and pop up, you've raised two perfect boys and you'll be very proud of yourselves. John and Mattie set the standard high on what it means to be good. Brothers and sons, best friends with one another and genuine good people. I've heard stories and I know raising these two boys so close in age was no easy feat, but they were both family first always. And I wonder where they got that from. I pray that my relationship with my kids will mirror the relationship you have with all four of yours. I also pray that my Children grow up to be as close with each other as your Children are. I couldn't ask for anything more, Jane. My other mother, John was the ultimate mama's boy in the best way. And I loved this about him. His personality is so much like yours and clearly that is so special to me and I love you. My other dad, you were John's best friend too. He wanted you to be a part of everything with him. Road trips. It was no question that you would share a hotel room together, boys, night out, no question you were coming with him. He would check in on you all throughout the day and he loved training with you this summer. He loved you both so much and was so grateful for everything you sacrificed for him to Kristen. Although you're 10 years older, you and your friends quickly became John's best friends too. I remember one summer realizing I hadn't seen my own friends in weeks, but I'm with yours every single day. And I just laughed. Katie Kaitlyn is gently to call you. It never felt like we were bringing around my boyfriend's little sister. He invited you everywhere with us because he genuinely wanted you there. Part of my wedding speech to you said you cannot choose family but you can choose your friends. And I'm so lucky to have you as both you girls were John and Maddie's biggest fans and I want you to know that they both knew that they loved you both so much. Maddie John's number one, no matter what, I'm sorry, Kristen and Katie, but Maddie is John's favorite, his favorite person in the world. I've noticed in group pictures, John's always hugging Maddie or has his arm around him even at weddings. If I couldn't find John, I'd just start looking for Matt. I have to acknowledge that I feel so bad that so much of this attention has been placed on John when it was both of them. But I also want to acknowledge that this attention on John was something Maddie never ever complained about. Everything was always John and Maddie. Maddie was the best, the best brother to John. He was John's biggest fan and John was his. Maddie wanted everything for John and all John wanted to do was share it with his brother and they did, John delayed starting his NHL career to be with Maddie at Boston College. And as I said before, John was well into his NHL career but chose to come home in the summers to his twin size bed to share a room with Maddie. Maddie was the perfect brother. I know it couldn't have been easy sharing him, but all John ever wanted was Maddie. I don't know how to say it, but the fact that you were both together now in heaven gives me a little bit of comfort knowing you are, of course, together. I know John would not be able to live a day without his brother. He loved him so much. You know, Missy Manny, I love you and I really appreciate you sharing your best friend with me and for loving our babies like your own. I'm so proud to call you my brother-in-law. And I want you to know I will soon be trips to a dance because I owe you that for being such a loving uncle to Noah and baby Johnny. I'm sorry, Katie and Kristen again. But I will be his favorite aunt. I want to say to everyone that neither John nor Maddie suffered. It makes me feel better knowing whatever silly conversation they were having just picked right back up in heaven in a flash. I can hear their laughs so well in the back of my head and something else that is getting me through is knowing they would not want to see me like this because they were both so sweet and cared so much about other people. So I'm trying for them to spread that message and to be more like them kind to everyone selfless and fun to be around two loving sons and brothers and friends, the best uncles in the world and the best husbands and fathers. I love baby trip so much already and I'm anxiously waiting to hold him and finally have a buddy for baby Johnny to play with John and Maddie's little boys will grow up together and give my mom and pop up a hard time. I'm sure. And I can't wait, talk about being spoiled. These babies are in for a treat and they deserve it. Madeline Maddie is so proud of you. The love of his entire life. You spent the majority of your lives together, which is something I'm so jealous of the love he had for you was incomparable. You mean the happiest guy in the world every single day? I'll always be here for you forever. You are my sister and I love you. Someone wrote to me in response to a post of a youth hockey team honoring John's Jersey. But I think it applies to everyone. She said if these kids emulate your husband and his brother, what a beautiful generation, it will be. I thought that was really nice. One of John's favorite movies is the greatest showman. He loved a good musical. I couldn't sleep a few nights ago and I was flipping through the channels and the greatest showman was playing on TV. In the middle of the night I called the end of the movie that quoted the noblest art is that of making others happy John. You made me the happiest girl in the world. It's really hard for me to wrap this up because I still could go on forever about how much I love John and how special he was. These words still don't touch on my love for John but no words ever will, John, my husband, my best friend and my soul mate to daddy. You spent your entire life working hard for your family and making us so proud of you every single day. Now it's my turn to make you proud as you watch down on us from heaven. And I will do that for you because you deserve that. You gave me the ultimate happy life and the least I can do for you now is make you proud as you watch down on us from heaven with Uncle Maggie by your side. A huge part of me died. But the other part of me will be stronger for our Children. I promise to be strong for our Children and to take care of them and love them double. Now for you, they will know how special their daddy was and they will make you proud. They will know how much you love them every single day. Thank you for giving me the greatest gift of all which is family and your love. Thank you for being for the best years of my life. I'm so grateful for that day I met you and every day after that, thank you for choosing me as your wife and for making me a mother. Thank you for being my best friend. I miss you so much and I love you. You are my forever and I cannot wait till we're all together again. Please watch over us. Me and the kids love you and are so proud to call you ours forever.