Gaudreau brothers remembered at funeral service Monday

words I am the way I think there's a promise in those words and the promise is this if you follow me on the way you will be ultimately in the last moment okay you know all of us here today are having a hard time believing that we should not as the gospel said be burdened by our are lost today because God has them in God's hands though that is true there's not a person in this church today all of you who don't feel a burden a pain a loss we've been robbed of something here today two really wonderful young men who had dreams yet to chase down who had Futures yet to live who had goals and accomplishments yet to be achieved how can we not feel bad today but we're also asked not only to lean on the crowd here today for support we're asked to lean on Jesus Christ for support and if Jesus says I am the way to eternal life we should believe that today we should hold on to that today for Jesus in his lifetime has kind of marked the way it's like this aisle those benches Mark the aisle well Jesus has marked the way well it's like an airplane coming down at night to a Runway that has the lights on each side of the runway it's clear where the runway is Jesus wants all of us today to know this those who walk the the way of Jesus will come to the stairway of Heaven they will and what is the way of the lord it's simply follow Jesus's example and what did Jesus do over and over and over again in different ways he loved and anyone who knows these two young men know that they have been loved and that they loved and they have not only been loved by Mom and Dad and sisters but by wives who deeply loved them and by people in New Jersey in Boston in Pennsylvania in Calgary and in Columbus and I found out about Johnny and Matthew's death by someone who called me from Taiwan there are people all over the world who know that these two young men are special and what makes me confident today in my my words is that these people these two young men went to the right schools you know I'm not talking about Gloucester Catholic High School even though that was an important place for them in their early life and I'm not even talking about my school Boston College which ter Terri terribly misses these young men because when they were on our campus they lit up our campus not only on the ice but on the campus in the classroom they were wonderful but the truth of it is they went to the right school it is not Gloucester Catholic High School and it's not BC they went to the school of the good school that's true they had the best teachers they had the best professors G and Jane because they taught their kids how to love they taught them how to love not only John and Matthew but Katie and chrisen as well in the baptism ceremony says the parents are the first and best teachers of their their kids in the way of faith and also life and you have taught them to love and when you taught them to love you taught them how to recognize the way that Jesus is talking about well done but that's not the only school they went to graduate school too they met uh Meredith and meline and the two of you their wives you figured out a way that make them even better at loving you drew stuff out of Matthew and you drew stuff out of John that they didn't even know they had in them you made them better lovers but anyone in this church who knew them and was a good friends I'm thinking of many of you that I know were great friends of them you helped them be better too the people in Calgary and Columbus the people in New Jersey and Boston everybody had a hand to inspire these young men to be more loving in their life and they were I'll tell you a little story now my story is this Johnny was a freshman at Boston College Matthew was playing hockey I think out in Midwest and he came to visit his brother one weekend and on the visit they had a great time they went to the games and all that good stuff but on the day Matthew was going to be driven by one of the coaches into the airport to go back to the Midwest uh I noticed the car out in front of the dining room and I noticed Matthew who I just met there had weekend was sitting in the front seat and his brother John had come out of one of the buildings to talk to him so I thought it'd be a good time for me to go and say goodbye to Matthew who I had met and as I approached the window I kind of thought they were talking they weren't talking they were talking but they weren't talking like I thought this is what they were doing I love you I love you they were doing this tennis match I love you no I love you I love you no I love you they must have said it 19 times and I'm sitting there go oh what's going on here I love you and I love you I don't want to go okay stay with me no I have to go okay go it that was the conversation but I saw in those two brothers a love that I don't have with my own brothers and I love my brothers but they had an intensity to their love that was unbelievable and I'm sure it's in Caitlyn and Christ too because they had the best teachers in the world you're to be conf complemented and then they even became better at love when they met Meredith and meline and they found new ways to express their love and their expression has resulted in Noah and John and trip gifts to this earth that will be forever the legacy of your two wonderful husbands and your love between them and that leades all all of us what are we going to do I know we showed up today and you're to be complimented for that it's a tremendous source of comfort for the family but what are we going to do now how are we going to leave this church and somehow add on to the legacy of these two young men who have done their thing how are we going to honor them in our own lives I for one am going to be a better brother to my sister and my f Four Brothers I'm going to work harder I saw what real brothers love how real brothers love looked like my I'm not quite there yet so I'm going to try to honor them by being a better friend and a better brother how about you what are you going to do maybe we can learn from this that we're not guaranteed long lives so maybe we should live our lives with more urgency we saw what real love looked like maybe in our own families we should find a way to be more loving life is very fragile these are two healthy young men who would have expected them to go down like they did but they did maybe we should understand how fragile life is and make better judgments in our own life and maybe we should try to be more protective of those people in our life that sometimes need protection and the last thing I would like to say is that for all you young people out there and for those who are not so young for those who are having families having kids of your own or about to have children maybe we can start the grro schools across this country maybe you should try hard in your own life to create a very loving home so that when your kid grows up they're kind of like Maddie and John good kids who know how to love but they don't learn how to love just by going to church that helps they need inspiration and guidance and so for all you young people all you teachers all you grandparents let's be better at loving our own kids so that they might grow up to be the kind of people we celebrate here today and lastly if we do that well all those kinds of things we will be standing on the way we will find our own paths to the kingdom of God to the stairway of heaven and don't be surprised as we walk up that stairwell that among the first people to welcome us to heaven will be John and Matthew and wouldn't that be nice and wouldn't our world be better because we were inspired today by their lives anyways that's the best I have so I'm going to stop right there and ask you to please stand for our intercessions thank you my my friends my brothers and sisters Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and sits at the right hand of the father where he intercedes for his church confident that God hears the voices of those who trust in Jesus We join our prayers to his as we say let us pray for John and Matthew with God's mercy may they together share in the fullness of Jesus's resurrection and be granted Eternal peace we pray to the Lord Lord here our pray pray for their wives Meredith and meline and for their children Noah Johnny and trip may they find strength and consolation in their faith and in the love and support of their families and many good friends we pay pray to the Lord Lord here our pray for their parents Jane and G and for their s Christian and Katie may they take comfort in knowing that the gift of love they gave to John and Matthew every day of their lives has prepared them perfectly for their go his pray to the Lord Lord here our pray for John and Matthew's many friends teammates former teammates and coaches may God bless them all wherever they may be pray to the Lord Lord here our pray for all the dead especially John and Matthew's grandparents Marie Lloyd and John G may they be among the first their Grands into the kingom of God pray to the Lord for everyone who is praying for John and Matthew throughout the world they be granted long lives the good sense to love their friends and family without every day we pray to the Lord Lord our PR our pray in gratitude for the hospitality of the priests and parishioners of St Mary magdal Church makes Community of Faith grow and flourish in the days and years ahead we pray to the Lord here our prayer oh gracious God we commend all of our prayers to you today in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord [Music] [Music] amen all thirst come to the water all h [Music] theable of of [Music] will [Music] the world all h [Music] r God all [Music] brothers and sisters that ands May sacrificial offerings Lord for of yours John andew we your ands for amen usy and everywhere to give you thanks Lord Holy Father Almighty and eternal God through Jesus Christ Our Lord in him the hope of blessed Resurrection has dawned that those saddened by the certainty of dying might be consoled by the promise of immortality to come indeed for your faithful Lord life is changed not ended and when the this Earthly dwelling turns to dust an eternal dwelling place is made ready for them in heaven and so with the Angels and Archangels the Thrones and dominions and with all the hosts and powers of Heaven We Sing The hym of your glory as Without End we acclaim [Music] God of host Heaven and Earth are full of your glory in the highest blessed is Hees In The Name Of The Lord hosana hosana in the highest hosana hosana in the [Music] high you are indeed holy Lord the F of all Holiness make holy therefore these gifts we pray by sending down your spirit upon them like the dfall so that they become for us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ at the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion he took bread and giving thanks broke it and gave it to his disciples saying take this all of you and eat of it for this is my body which will be given up for you and a similar way when supper was ended he took the chalice and once more giving thanks he gave it to disciples saying take this all of you and drink from it for this is the Chalice of my blood the blood of the new and eternal Covenant which will be poured out for you and for the many for the Forgiveness of sins do this in memory of me let us proclaim the mystery of faith we Proclaim your death oh Lord and your Resurrection until you come again until you come again therefore as we celebrate the memorial of his death and Resurrection we offer you Lord the bread of life the Chalice of Salvation giving thanks that you've held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you humbly we pray that partaking of the body and blood of Christ we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit remember Lord your church spread throughout the world bring her to the fullness of Charity together with Francis our Pope our Bishops and clergy everywhere Resurrection remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection and all who have died in your mercy welcome them into the light of your face have mercy on us all we pray that with the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God with blessed Joseph her spouse the Blessed Apostles and all the saints who have pleas you throughout the ages we may Merit to be coair to eternal life and may praise and glorify you through your son Jesus Christ for through him and with him and in him oh God Almighty father in the unity of the Holy SP spirit all glory and honor is yours forever and ever amen amen at the savior's command and performed by Divine teaching we dare to say father inom will those who Tres against us and us not into tempt evil us Lord we pray from every kind of evil and graciously Grant peace in our days that by the help of your mercy we may always be free from sin safe from all kinds of distress as we wait Lord Jesus Christ who said to your Apostles peace I leave you myace I give you not on our s but on the Fai of your church graciously Grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will [Music] you take the S of of the world us take of the world Mercy on us L of God you take the of [Music] world Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world blessed are those called to the supper of the lamb Lord I'm not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say the word and my soul shall be healed May the body and blood of Christ keep us safe for eternal life amen we welcome to Holy Communion today those Catholics that sh our faith in the substantial presence of Christ in the Eucharist ask you please to remain at your place until the priest or Deacon gets to your communion uh station and then they will invite you forward [Music] don't [Music] PR [Music] I am the bread of life You Who Come to Me shall not hunger and who believe in me shall not thirst no one can come to me unless the father be and I will raise you up and I will raise you up and I will raise you up on the L day the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world and if you eat of this bre you shall live [Music] forever you shall live forever and I will ra you up and I will raise you up and I will raise you up up on the last day unless you eat of the Flesh of the S of man and drink of his blood and drink of his blood you shall not have life within you and I will ra you up and I will raise you up and I will raise you up on the last day I am the resurrection I am the life if you believe in even you die you shall live forever and I will PR raise you up and I will raise you up and I will raise you on the last day yes Lord we believe that you are the Christ the son of God who has come into the world and I will raise you up and I will raise you are and I will raise you up on the land to etal ofus Christ Liv ands for and amen please be seated and I'd like to invite I'd like to invite uh Meredith goodro and mine goodro forward for the remembrances of their husband e I first want to start off by thanking everyone for the outpouring of support love prayers and all the memories shared it has truly not gone unnoticed it brings tears to my eyes to see how much everyone loved and cherished my husband and brother-in-law as much as their families do this last week has felt like I've been trapped in a nightmare I can't wake up from I feel numb angry blessed all at once some days the thought of this new reality is debilitating but mostly I just miss Matt most people know Maddie as a hockey player a hockey coach a friend a mentor and while he was all of those things he was so much more I met Maddie in Omaha Nebraska while we were both playing in high school while he was playing in high school he was playing for the Lancers my best friend actually introduced us to each other and he couldn't have weighed more than 90 pounds and had a Joe Dirt haircut it was his personality that made me instantly attached to him his free spirit his laugh his wittiness his love for country music friends and family was irresistible we instantly became best friends and I knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with him I remember one day stopped into my work one night after his practice and he was telling me how him and a few guys from his team went tanning because they were doing a free week of tanning and he showed me where his tan lines were he thought you kept your socks short and sure on wild tanning I never did tell him he was wrong we did long distance for four years while he was attending Boston College Maddie was so excited to play alongside his brother something he never took for gred the bond that Matt and John shared is something that unless you knew them personally even the most perfect words pictures or videos cannot adequately describe it they were attached at the hip they slept in the same room up until college and neither of them ever wanted that to change I remember in our early years of dating our friend group would go to country concerts when we got back to the house we were staying at Maddie and I would go to bed and we would always wake up wake up with John right in the middle somehow John took care of Maddie and Maddie would take care of John to know both of them was to truly love them it was impossible not to fall in love with them Meredith said it best you do not hear one name without the other they were so extremely proud of each other and it brings me comfort knowing they are still together forever as they always were m loved his sisters Katie and Kristen and his parents Jane and G Maddie was a family man through and through you honestly can't pick more of a close-knit family than the good dros and I'm so honored to be a part of it Maddie was an adored Uncle his nieces cam Logan Noah and nephew Johnny were loved by him like they were his own I can't even tell you how many times he got peed on pooped on thrown up on but you never complain the kids were his life and I promise I will be there for them for the rest of their life and make sure they know their Uncle mdty who their Uncle Maddie is and how much he loved them I was blessed to see more of a personal and private side of Matthew no one else got to see him as a husband Matthew is and will always be the best part of me he loved me so deeply and would always show it and I pray to God knew how much I loved him I truly can't believe how lucky I was to be loved by him he was hardworking patient kind gentle attentive funny he was my safe place my quiet my home my best friend I will miss our late night Taco Bell runs our slow mornings on the weekends our snuggles in bed while we were watching whatever it was we were watching at the time even picking up your messes doing your laundry watching you mow all of the little things the 14 years we spent together will never be enough but I will cherish those and carry them close to me especially on the extremely hard days for the rest of my life you changed me in my life for the better the moment you entered it I was also blessed to see the dad's side of Matthew for those of you who don't know we have golden doodle named Stella who is our first baby Maddie and Stella were attached to each other Stella would always want her dad they enjoyed the outdoors together playing ball and laying in the grass Maddie would always get upset when people told Stella she was adopted he would always whisper in her ear don't worry honey no you weren't you came from Mommy and Daddy for anyone knows Maddie knows he was born to be a dad the moment we found out about our son trip it consumed his every day he was downloading apps ordering books finding the best diaper brand making sure I had the best vitamins and asking for tips from John I will never forget the tears he had in his eyes when we first heard Trip's heartbeat he never missed an appointment I am so grateful I forced him to start the nursery Matthew worked so hard on that room and I can feel him in there every time I go in it Matthew was so excited to welcome trip into this world and although the plan now looks a little different I know Matt will surround His Son for the rest of his life I'm so thankful God gave us a child a little Maddie to run around for life to carry on his legacy trip will know how his father loved him and I promised to do all the things with him we talked about I can't wait to see Johnny and trip grow up together and have the same Bond as their dad had Meredith we are in lots of trouble to Meredith I am so sorry that we will forever share this Bond the boys could not have picked stronger women as wives mothers of their children there is one person in this world that knows the EXA feeling I I am feeling and that is you and for that I am sorry the loss of a husband a father our comfort I promise that I will always be there for you and the kids and we will honor the lives of our husbands together hand in hand alongside their family and friends I urge everyone to never drink and drive call a ride please do not put another family through this torture the loss of Maddie and John will leave a and the family with his close friends the community for eternity however their legacy will live on through the lives of everyone they touched their kids their wives their parents their siblings God really did draft the best two boys blind mates forever I love you so much Matthew Ryan for 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 when I'm describing my love for John I want to thank 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 CR 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 s 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 the 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 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 going to make him cringe but to Michael bé 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 re 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 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 shs 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 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 soulmate 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 ships 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 sealed the deal for me I had never been to carne's point before I never heard 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 his family welcomed me with open arms even though they barely knew me I spent the night in his childhood twin siiz bed a few feet away from Maddie who was in his twin siiz bed too the wallpaper border was footballs and soccer balls an Al lacrosse stick and of course a hockey puck this is his home and where he spends his Summers a little different from his in Calgary I'm thinking to myself he's far into his NHL career now he could have it all but this is all he wants to be in his childhood bedroom two twin bed side by side with his brother he's different and he's special and his whole family is I love everything about him and this entire situation I'm 26 now and I'm still living at home too I have to admit I was only 25 when I stopped sleeping in my twin siiz bed next to my older sister I felt like I found my match I ring in 2019 with him in Calgary Katie by our side I'm proud to say I've spent every near with her in February I traveled with his family to his Allstar Weekend side note he won the skels 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 and 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 say it didn't quite happen another New Year's Eve in Calvary but not soon after Co hit and John comes home we were now Inseparable late nights playing card games and sharing sweatshirts and sweatpants with how you could 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 haircut he'd bring his Xbox into the room I into 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 around 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 I'm jumping ahead but he 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 soulmate the co 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's 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 the next summer soon after are expecting our first baby 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 Calvary and the Flames organization I want to specifically thank you all for the outpouring love and support you have for 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 that I'm so tightly holding on too to one day show our babies how truly special their daddy was and how loved he was thank you for that calri it's 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 calgarian 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 of flame and I'm so proud of that and so proud to call calary 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 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 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 his little girl who never missed a single one of Daddy's GS 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 you 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 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 described 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 laidback he was about everything sometimes too laidback most of his pregame interviews you can find him wearing my clothes my slippers my hat that had his my family's dog androed on it ver the nice clothes I would buy him specifically for the lime leg 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 and spit up just say no I like it there he was proud of it and off he went there was one time he was rushing 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 he started laying out his clothes every single night no matter what was on the schedule the next day he was in 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 it's all I ever wanted to do is take care of him and make him happy and he also never ever left the house without kissing all of us goodbye joh from growing up at hollydell to Boston College to the NHL you were a huge part of John's happiness he was a guys 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 you both them joh 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 get being just like him whatever you did he copied if you got a new truck we were in the truck bot the next day you got a golden doodle John got a golden 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 at me right now too but know 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 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 summmer spent the hazes 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 that you would 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 make John cringe during this eulogy 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 board 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 would 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 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 taky hands too John I promise to have baby Johnny on skates 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 wi the Poo pajamas and sleeps on the bench just like you did pup will 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 Holly 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 and 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 years marriage we've created a family of five it doesn't even sound possible but I look at it as the ultimate blessing I 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 ranks every week to skate depending on where we were whatever worked 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 why he was such a special HB father son brother and Uncle so we don't exactly have a home of our own here yet we of each house but it's in a small town about one to two 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 field the house is beautiful with everything you could 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 barbacking ships 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 no loves being with her family really do mean it John that's not corny at all it's why I love you and it's why you're perfect so back to our childhood bedrooms we would go to our parents houses except now we're squeezing and pack and plays in cribs strollers boxes of diapers bottles and tins of formula dumped all over the entryway and across the kitchen counter Bailey was 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 600 to see our car in the driveway and immediately knew she was going to be making an 800m homemade dinner that John was waiting for all day and she always did John's mother Jane was us and immediately day for the following morning where 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 and papa you've raised Two Perfect boys and she'll be very proud of yourselves John and Maddie 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 that I know raising these two boys so close in age was no easy feet 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 ke my other dad you were John's best friend too he wanted you to be a part of everything with him Road 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 K Christen 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 in weeks but I'm with yours every single day and I just laughed Katie Caitlyn is John like 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 MD'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 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 with with his brother and they did John delayed starting his NHL career to be with MD 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 twins siiz 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 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 and I will miss you Maddie 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 Trip's favored a because ie that for being such a loving Uncle to Noah and baby Johnny sorry Katie and Christen 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 are 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 madd's little boys will grow up together and give my mom and Papa 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 mine 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 made him 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 a 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 thought that was really nice one of John's favorite movies is the greatest showman he loved to go 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 caught the end of the movie that quoted the noest 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 soulmate 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 Maddie 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 it them every single day thank you for giving me the greatest gift of all which is family and your love thank you for being the 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 please please stand practiced he couldn't quite do it he couldn't give those shots so our neighbor Mary who was a nurse said let me help when we asked her that process lasted for us for years month after month we desperately wanted that phone call that said we had been successful that phone call that would maybe change everything for us but then the phone call would be that it hadn't quite worked this time and that Journey was hard but we kept going and it was worth it eventually we had our daughter and it's no accident that we named her [Applause] hope and after another five and a half years we had gusts and those two kiddos are the center of our world we cannot imagine our lives without them and so that's how we knew in the wake of Alabama ruling that we had no choice but to speak out at that moment we'd hardly shared the story as I said we'd closed that chapter chapter of Our Lives a little bit like I don't know after you get your driver's license you forget about that test and all those things right but only so much magnified in so many ways but after Arkansas or I'm sorry Alabama it suddenly became very real for us in a way that it hadn't been for decades Tim and I looked at each other and we knew we just couldn't fathom that people couldn't make their own choices about their own families and we could not let their hope be [Applause] stolen everyone every single person should have the freedom to build their own family your own family as you dream and as you choose and this is just as important you should also have the freedom to decide not to have children at [Applause] all because because here's the point it should be your choice your choice your choice and not JD vces and Donald Trumps so let's get this straight let's get this straight Trump's the reason we're in this mess to begin with yes he is the one who took down row and Unleashed all of this chaos and all of this cruelty and JD Vance well who asked him to tell us how to build our families nobody nobody asked him nobody's asking him and nobody's going to ask him JD we're not asking you now they want to stick their noses further into our bedrooms and our doctor's offices with their project 2025 agenda and somehow they thought we wouldn't read that but we did and that is criminalizing women's reproductive health care that is denying women emergency care until they are moments away from Death that is making it harder harder to get birth control than to buy a gun and this one as you already know is particularly personal for me they're putting our ility treatments at risk well we don't take kindly to bullies like Trump and Vance telling us where or if or how to start our families so in this election we are going to send them a message that is loud and clear are you [Applause] ready now some of you might not be teachers but just listen to my teacher voice and then we're going to practice it because I'm going to use it here school has started Mr Trump and Mr Vance please mind your your own business try it with me now ready Mr Trump Mr Vance please mind your own business yes you are good you are good this am this election fundamentally is a fight for our freedoms and this fall we get to choose two people who are champions to fight alongside us kamla Harris has long been leading this charge and I mean long been leading this charge from working to keep reproductive Health Providers safe as California's attorney general to working to protect abortion medication and emergency a and care after Rell her record is long and impeccable and when she became the first vice president in history to visit a reproductive Health Care Clinic guess who was standing by her side my husband Governor walls and that clinic was in Minnesota yes oh come on that clinic was in Minnesota thank you now my husband Governor walls I'm really proud of his leadership on Reproductive Rights too the day after row was struck down he signed an executive order protecting patients and providers and we were the first state to pass legislation protecting free reproductive [Applause] Freedom that's when you what you can do when you have a house and a senate yeah right so here's what a Harris walls white house will mean for Reproductive Freedom they will use their power to protect women not punish them they will write the laws to to defend reproductive Freedom not destroy it they will make sure that people not politicians control their own lives and their own bodies that is the future that Kamala and Tim are fighting for and it is the future that we have the power to choose choose this November so I'm going to close with this you don't know my mom but you know my mom my mom's a retired teacher yep a PE teacher she's 86 and still substitutes on occasion and she's a church organist and a piano teacher and she raised my three sisters and I along with my dad who's a teacher but here's what she would always say to me yeah she raised my dad that's good get that on camera no um um my mom would always say to me Gwen do the work that is in front of you it's advice that's both thoughtful and actionable when I was growing up I thought doing the work in front of me meant the dishes or maybe my homework but I have come to realize through my mom's example and so many our other powerful examples what it really meant it meant taking a good look at the world in front of me and the people around me and even the people closest to me and to see where I might use my own voice my own passion my own my own talents my own hard work my way of seeing to be of service well Ry there are only 57 days left until the election day and there is a lot of work in front of us so I am asking you to listen to my mom too to do the work that is in front of us I'm asking you to volunteer I'm asking you to bring friends to volunteer I'm asking you to have hard conversations with your neighbors and your friends and maybe people who aren't even your neighbors or friends at this moment I'm asking you to bake cookies one night for the people who are making phone calls we need treats at those places right yeah nothing wrong with treats Y and the next night go in and make the calls yourself I'm asking you to make cookies for the door knocks or bars for the or for the door knocks and then the next night go in and do the door [Music] knocks I'm asking you to dig deep to find something within yourself to make the choice so that we all have a choice but most importantly I'm asking you to keep Shar sharing your stories let people know that this is personal let people know exactly what is at stake in this election that's why we're doing this bus tour that's why you're all here today that's why I'm here today it's not always easy to share our stories and introverts like me who are used to reading more books than talking to large crowds we have to dig deep sometimes but you're all nice you made it really easy for me so thank you thank [Applause] you thank you so get out the word that reproductive freedom is on the [Music] ballot and it's up to us to fight for it and fight for it in ways we never have before so now we are lucky to have with us today a leader who has not been shy about using his voice to Advocate on these issues because he knows that the The Assault on Reproductive Rights impacts all of us he is a fighter like we have not seen before he is the amazing future first gentleman of the United States the incomparable Doug imhoff [Applause] [Music] [Applause] heing from Gwen walls the next second lady of the United States it's so funny in the hold room we're like hey how's it going I haven't seen you since the convention and what you been up to what have you been up to oh you know saving democracy but we are that's L what we're talking about um uh and this is um going to be our second bus tour together you know so it's getting to be a habit but um we had such a great time uh the four of us uh my new best friend her husband Tim um I'm still getting a lot of you know what for that big bear hug the first time we met from my actual longtime friends and family members who said you've never huged me like that but he's awesome he's so great and where's Governor Cooper your Governor is so awesome uh Governor Cooper is is such a dear close friend of your next president he even was the one who introduced her before her convention speech and it's your your next Governor is here too Josh Stein oh this is easy I'm just going to keep calling out names and you guys just cheer this is great um you know and I was married to a former Attorney General and they make great leaders because Roy was one Josh was one and uh it's okay they know how to lead um gosh I've been all over the place uh for the last couple of six weeks or so I barely get to see kamla seriously we had to literally go for a walk on an airst strip yesterday in Pittsburgh to spend some quality time together and uh that that's what we're doing but we don't have time for you know happy couple moments right now we really don't we barely see each other when we do it's really if I say anything like oh my god there you are on TV again or look at this poll or you're doing so great she just takes my head says we haven't won anything yet and get back out there on the road so here I am in North Carolina but uh thank you there's a debate tomorrow and uh the the one she thing she did say to the Press yesterday was simply I'm ready like she's ready and um you know i' I'm I was a pretty good trial lawyer myself in my lawyer days and um you know as couples you have these I won't call them arguments I call them discussions and every single time we get into a debate at home I realized I already lost because she's such a good lawyer she's always planted these little traps for me that I always walk into so I haven't won one um but she is a First Rate lawyer a First Rate intellect and she does not tolerate any BS for her entire career starting as a prosecutor then attorney general putting away way sexual offenders trans taking down transnational gangs shutting down a nonprofit college that was ripping off people oh that all sounds familiar um her North Star has always been fighting for us and standing up to cowards comma Harris can smell weakness and we know that cowards are weak and she can see one from a mile away and she knows the best way to take a coward on is head on right in their face so the contrast tomorrow on that stage is going to be very clear a lifelong public servant who is only had one client us the people versus a guy whose only client has been himself CU that's all he cares about and KLA she's she's so practical in everything she does including the way she approaches Public Service when she sees a problem she solves a problem when she sees a problem she solves a problem campaign slogan but that's what you want in a leader right you want leaders who actually get stuff done for us and that's exactly what she does too and so the other thing I want to tell you I forgot to mention is like she says Hi We had coffee this morning and and um uh that should have been at the top um and she says hi because she's been here a lot and she's going to be here soon [Applause] um but since we're here talking about the fight for Reproductive Freedom she just wanted me to remind you all to fight for it to actually fight for it and the one way we can fight for it is by helping her become the next president of the United States because as your Governor said a day or two ago time is hazy concept for me now if we win here in North Carolina we got a really good chance of winning this election so you can make the difference right here right here so we are talking about reproductive Freedom the fight for Reproductive freedom and I just want to take us back a little over two two and a half years ago or so uh my phone rings it's my wife the vice president soon to be president she was actually on Air Force 2 which will soon to be Air Force One but at that point uh June of 2022 I had never actually heard heard her more upset and she called to say douie they actually did it they actually did it and that was the moment that I found out that the Supreme Court overturn roie Wade got it right from her the literally immediately after that I got a text from Ella and I don't hear from her all the time Ella please text me more um but at that point she was Furious as well she was 23 at the time she's 25 now and she texted me I wrote it down horrible horrible horrible day time to fight I'm angry and I don't want to stand by silently you need to do something about this Al but then uh some of you might have met my mother and uh at the convention she was she's 83 now but she was 81 at the time um I heard from her right after I heard from Ella now I do hear from my mom all the time so this this was not but not about this and she said essentially the same thing now remember she was 81 two years ago which meant back in the 60s and early 70s she was one of those women out there fighting for equal rights fighting for Reproductive freedom and people like my mother thought that this was something something they'd never have to talk about again something that they thought was locked in and this is why my mother was so upset so here are my wife as vice president who is so infuriated because remember she was on the Senate Judiciary Committee and two I think two of the three Supreme Court Justices that Trump appointed for the sole reason of overturning Roby Wade looked at her when she was on that committee when they were going through the nomination process you remember what they said oh we were will uphold precedent we will honor stere decisis see how that went so I heard from my mother and she literally said honey you need to do something about this so two and a half years of doing something about this we are now here today on an issue that is so much worse than we all could have imagine and maybe they imagine it cuz remember Trump said women should be punished when he was running in 2016 you've heard from um what's his face the little sidekick um JD Vance right you know just no abortion no exceptions for rape or incest can you imagine being a person like him to feel that way when a a woman who's been subject to a violent crime rape or incest a violent crime a violation and then this character thinks that that person especially if it's it's like a child should have no agency over what happens to their body next that's just immoral that's wrong and that's who they [Applause] are so that's why this election is is what KLA said at the convention where this is not only the most important election in our Collective lifetimes but in the lifetime of our nation this really is it's not um hyperbole it's true and that's what this bus tour of reproductive freedom is all about is to remind Americans what's actually at stake in this election uh Donald Trump wants to continue this extremist Crusade it that's what it is it's an extremist Crusade that so few of us in this country want this is something that the vast majority of us do not want and that has actually been proven objectively in election after election since dos came out red state blue state it doesn't matter where the people do not want this and the nerve of that Do's opinion to say some to paraphrase women are not without uh you know rights here they can just go to their states well you've seen what states have done almost immediately after dos basically complete bans is what what it is 6 weeks even 12 weeks here you barely know that you're pregnant uh ramifications for patients but also for doctors this is wrong and nobody barely anybody wants this and that's why this election is so so important because we can vote our way out of this by getting KLA Harris and Tim Walls in office we need to elect Pro Freedom candidates up and down the ballots and you see what happens in these states so it's not just who's President and Vice President it's who your senators are it's who your Congress people are it's who your Governor is it's who your attorney general is it's who's in the state houses you got to take this power back so this small M minority of extremists are making decisions for the majority of us that no none of us want and it's causing actual damage you heard the stories about IVF I've done events all over the country you've seen the stories you saw it at the convention of women on death's door and you've got doctors who are afraid to provide treatment because they're looking over their shoulder calling the legal department looking at the insurance department because they think they're going to go to jail they think they'll lose their medical license and it's even worse than that doctors are leaving these communities they're leaving these communities then that means so when uh KLA met Tim at the plan Parenthood facility they're not doing only abortions they're doing basic health care like pap smears and things like that where are women can get that treatment now if there's no doctors or facilities to do it so this is a hellscape it's a crisis created by Donald Trump and now that they're trying to weasel out of it and trying to pretend oh I'm Pro women that's BS and we all know it we're not going to be gas lit by them so I'm getting a little worked up here you know I played a lot of competitive Sports I was a high level trial lawyer and one of one of my mottos to to to stay in the moment was to stay mad and channel that anger into a into action so I want everyone to stay mad about these issues and channel that anger into action at The Ballot [Applause] Box and it's not just abortion it's not just reproductive Freedom it's just about everything else so we've talked at length about project 2025 900 some odd Pages it is literally a blueprint a script CU I'm from Hollywood but it's a blueprint to destroy our country it's a blueprint to destroy our very way of life and it's all in there it literally is all in there and it's not just you know the big things like taking your freedom away taking your vote away but it's it's benefits it's benefits for food benefits for veterans it's everyday things that people rely on for their government but as it comes as it relates to abortion it is a fullon ban whether they get it through Congress or the comsta ACT which is a law from the 1800s they will stop at nothing with project 2025 to get what these extremists want which is a fullblown abortion ban control of women control of families and we're not going to take it and just because I'm uh still a lawyer at heart uh I read these opinions ions including the concurring opinions so in DOS which was the opinion that overturned roie Wade there was a concurring opinion by Justice Thomas he actually had time to write this one and um but it's it's pretty horrible because just as Thomas basically said any other right to privacy based on the Griswald case which was what roie Wade was based on uh let's take a a look at that that's now at risk and what does that mean the right to love who you want to love the right to marry who you want to marry the right to contraception basically what her husband always talks about all those things that are in your bedroom and your medicine CL closet which he says stay the hell out of there that's what they're trying to get to it's already in the Supreme Court's decision that's what project 2025 wants that's what the Supreme Court wants so who do you want picking the next Supreme Court Justices you got it you got it and I I've talked a lot about this this fight for Reproductive Freedom this is not just a fight for women it's not a fight only about women this is for all of us this is for men this is for families everybody needs to care about this I've I've talked I've I've talked at length with my daughter Ella since that faithful text but I've also talked to Cole about it at length Cole's 29 now he just got married his wife Greenley is from Texas do you think they want to move to Texas at some point with a six week ban and they're trying to plan a family um I talked to one of the group chats I have is a bunch of dads and we just chat well mostly they make fun of me but it's also just we talk about our families we talk about our kids and we all have sons and daughters and we're concerned about them as it relates to this issue so I'm talking about this with my dad friends I'm talking about it with both my kids and I've traveled around the country since dos came out talking about this issue and talking to men I've done numerous events with this group called men for choice and these are um and there a lot of them are are young men in college just out of college and they know one it's just not fair women should not be treated as less than they should not have less rights than men but they also know that this issue impacts them and these other freedoms that we're talking about so I know I'm going to continue to talk about this whether I'm second gentleman first gentleman or just col his dad because it's the right thing to do it's the right thing to [Music] do and to quote KLA once again because she's very quotable um we need to be a nation that trusts women and I know I do and as president K Harris will will protect abortion access and Reproductive Rights in all 50 states and if we do really well in this election which we really need to and we have to and Congress will pass a bill to restore reproductive Freedom Nationwide she will sign it so this election on so many levels is binary uh a guy well two guys who actually not only don't trust women but are literally running on a platform of authoritarianism and misogyny that literally should be their their slogan cuz that's what it is so you want you know people who literally are outwardly misogynistic in their policies and the way they talk about women and the policies in which they've already enacted and have talked about enacting or KLA Harris and Tim Walls it's completely binary God this would be a perfect time for we're not going back and we're not we not going back we not going back we're not going back we not going back and in 57 days we only have 57 days we won't have to we will not have to and I I I just got a comment on something I saw over the weekend they were talking about it this morning I still can't believe this one um more of Trump's nonsense so he's literally uh um putting out uh on whatever his online network is um doubling down on threats saying his political opponents donors and others anyone who does not believe in his lies and supports them shall be put in jail can you believe that this guy who wants to be president of the United States is basically uh copying copying his hero Putin's Playbook right there that is shameful that should be disqualifying everyone should see that there's no way that that guy can ever become president again talking like that and if and if the goal is to you know make us afraid or or you know it's not working I'm from Jersey she's from Oakland we don't scare that easy we're not going to be intimidated we're not going to be afraid and more importantly we're not going to be distracted because so much of this stuff from Hannibal Lector to this stuff to the insults to her insults to me and our families insults to her and her family it's a distraction it's a distraction because they don't want us actually talking about see earlier comments on Project 2025 having Supreme Court Justices that want to continue down the path of Dos and taking our freedoms away and taking our rights away and making this country something we will never recognize again something a place none of us will ever want to live in that's what they're doing and we cannot be distracted from that so let's we're not going to be you can't be kamla Harris my wife she is a joyful Warrior I get to have the joyful part at home and you get it with all the empathy and all the stuff she does for us but she's also a warrior she is a badass she is tough she is a fighter and she is going to fight for all of us so so like I said earlier the governor said this um our path of Victory goes right through North Carolina all right so how do we do this one you got to register register to vote October 11th is the deadline so get everyone registered and you can vote early here starting October 17th so know what these rules are you got to register and go out and vote early so then once you vote early you can go out and help us get everyone else in your communities in your neighborhoods talk to your friends and neighbors with enthusiasm with joy and yes laughter it's okay but also stay mad like me you got to be aggressive you got to be tough you got to be focused and you got to be disciplined uh because every minute matters every vote matters everything we do matters because it's going to be close it is going to be close even for us we know that this is is is a no-brainer but we have to convince our friends and neighbors who aren't quite there yet and just give them the facts show them the a vision of kamla Harris where we all belong focused on the economy the middle class our freedoms and moving us forward and the Darkness and despair of which all of our Lives will be if this guy God forbid ever gets back to the White House and that's what we got to do so I I'll end with something um I I love about her husband because he is out there and he's putting himself out there and he has said I'm going to work so hard I'm going to go around and I'll sleep when I'm dead we disagree I talked to her backstage I said I'm going to sleep on November 6th because I want to enjoy the Harris walls Administration I want to be there for it so thank you for being here thank our soon to be second lady thank all the leaders here now get out there and let's do the work let's win this thing thank you so much [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] than B [Music] up e e e [Music] to got check the sound out with her for [Music] for for [Music] sry for [Music] jeez sorry doing to small group hi thank you for coming okay so okay [Applause] thank e [Music] [Music] [Music] can I get out one water that would be great thank you thank [Applause] you thank you very much problem I ask you right yeah what's this do it's a bonded cellular transmitter oh okay it streams video audio okay how far away are you streaming it to what do you mean like this is connecting to a van outside no it's no it's connecting to the cell towers oh wow it's got like six modem cards oh it just transmits packets of information it gets reassembled interesting that's how I have to explain it to people yeah no yeah I go you know Willy Wonka you rece you know the Wonka oh all right here we go would you like people sit okay so let's have Christina here you want to be there or do you want to be here um recording in progress yeah yeah I'm going to change seats anyway I heard it okay so here ch [Music] thank you for coming today today we are very happy to announce victory in the case of Christina cardus against the California Correctional Institution CCI and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation cdcr and Adventist help to Hatchy we filed this lawsuit four years ago because of what Christina was forced to suffer when she arrived on September 6th 2019 at the CCI facility for a previously scheduled family visit with her husband Carlos Eugene cardus who was an inmate there as a result of what Christina was forced to endure we fought a lawsuit in Kern County Superior Court alleging that the following incidents took place Christina arrived at the CCI facility at approximately 8:30 a.m. to appear for a scheduled family visit with her husband Carlos Eugene cardus the scheduled family visit was to be the first in approximately 1 year as the previously scheduled visit for 4 weeks prior to the incident giving rise to this action had been cancelled without any notice as with the day of the subject incident she had traveled between 232 and 239 miles requiring approximately 4 hours of travel time on September 6th 2019 Christina presented to the visiting office of CCI an officer escorted her to the back right hand side of the visiting office sat her down and placed her belongings on the adjacent table Christina was then interrogated regarding whether she had quote brought anything with her end quote and whether she quote brought any drugs in end quote Christina truthfully denied it an officer then informed Christina that a search warrant had been issued that an officer would be coming to the office to discuss she asked whether she would be strip searched which the officer confirmed this began the emotional damage suffered by Christina as she had previously been a victim of an unwarranted degrading and traumatizing search by the state of California on the day of her marriage to her husband Christina was then presented with a search warrant issued at approximately 8:38 a.m. on September 6 2019 the warrant did limit the scope of the potential search in the absence of Christina's consent and Christina did not consent to an invasive search of her body it was explicit in the warrant that a body cavity search could only be conducted after an x-ray confirmation of the president presence of a foreign object likely to be Contraband in the body cavity of Christina an officer informed Christina that pursuant to the warrant she would be strip searched in addition to officers searching all of her belongings and her vehicles she was visibly distressed by the subject of the search as well as her detainment in the isolated room with unknown officers crowding the single exit one unknown officer screamed at her quote Oh wipe away your tears you know what you and your husband have been doing end quote despite this effort of intimidation completed in their individual and official capacities under the color of state law and in the course and scope of the unknown officer's employment Christina responded through tears quote don't tell me to wipe away my tears I'm innocent and what you're saying to me is inappropriate end quote shortly thereafter Christina was left in a small room with three officers she was then unlawfully examined by the officers first by opening her mouth and sticking out her tongue then by showing her ears and turning her head upside down to shake out her hair no Contraband was found during the search Christina was then unlawfully instructed to take her clothing off piece by piece and hand them to the officers for inspection this process began with her top sports bra then bra which left her completely Exposed on her top half Christina attempted to keep her breast covered as she was asked to remove her pants for inspection finally she was asked to remove her undergarments which left Christina's breast and genitalia completely exposed no Contraband was found on Christina's person at this time either Christina was then unlawfully instructed to squat over a mirror placed on the ground and cough when Christina's efforts proved there was nothing placed in her cavity the officers unlawfully instructed her to squat wider apart and to spread her genitalia with physical intervention upon a negative finding of Contraband Christina was was instructed to dress and sit back down to await further instructions she was then asked quote why do you visit Christina you don't have to visit it's a choice and this is part of visiting end quote we believe the unknown officer statement was a form of intimidation used to dismiss Christina's right to visit her lawful husband during the course of his incarceration after being subjected to the strip search Christina asked the officer if she could use the restroom as she had not been able to to since arriving at the CCI facility after a nearly 4our drive this request was denied another officer then arrived pulled her out of the detainment room and placed her in handcuffs Christina was then transported to adventa Health's emergency department with three CCI officers and arrived at approximately 9:45 a.m. Christina was subjected to the equivalent of a quote per walk end quote as she was driven to the back of the hospital removed from the back of the law enforcement vehicle and walked while handcuffed to the Adventist Health entrance with numerous individuals observing this conduct perpetrated by the three CC officers was a form of harassment and intimidation which subdued Christina to without limitation of emotional distress pain suffering inconvenience mental anguish embarrassment humiliation and damage to her reputation as an Adventist Health Doctor then unlawfully forced Christina to complete a pregnancy test prior to completing The Unwanted pregnancy test Christina requested water this request was denied allegedly due to the possibility of emergency surgery she was denied reasonable access to bathroom facilities she was given neither the privacy of a normal restroom nor the comfort of a normal toilet rather she was forced to urinate in a makeshift toilet consisting of a chair and exposed urinal PL pan this was done in the presence of an advent health nurse and a female officer Christina then had to answer personal questions regarding her medical history including personal women's health history and her mental health in front of the officer in complete violation of her rights to privacy and hipop protections she was unlawfully restrained in handcuffs for hours as she waited to be unlawfully violated by defendants she was subjected to further question and ridiculed by the present officers she was continually denied water and food while officers snacked and chatted in supervision Christina was then escorted in a wheelchair by an officer to present for an illegal x-ray Imaging she was imaged both standing and lying down the X-ray study conclusively proved that Christine Christina had no foreign substance in her body after the X-ray and in violation of the express terms of the search warrant Christina was subjected to an unwarranted CT scan while Christina received the CT scan approximately two Adventist Health H Hospital staff and three present officers observed she was handcuffed during the CT scan as she had metal buttons on the waist of her pants she was illegally instructed to lower her pants while handcuffed in the presence of Adventist Health and CC employees she struggled to lower her pants while crying and bound in handcuffs she was then brought back to the hospital room despite Pro prior statements of officers and the hospital staff regarding potential emergency surgery she was finally given some water and aspirate at this time Christina was incredibly dehydrated and hungry after both the illegal drug test illegal x-ray study and the ille legal CT study conclusively proved there was no foreign substance in Christina's body the doctor proceeded to sexually assault and forcibly penetrate Christina's anus and vagina the expressed terms of the search warrant prohibited a cavity search in the absence of X-ray confirmation of illegal Contraband The Unwanted and forceful penetration of Christina's vagina and anus was perpet Tred by a male doctor even after Christina St stated she was not okay with a male probing her body and that a male probing of her body would be very retraumatization of Christina's vagina and anus Christina was illegally forced to remove her pants which she attempted to do despite being handcuffed crying and hyperventilating Christina was sobbing uncontrollably and in a clear and visibly distressed State as she was forced to sit on a table and spread her legs the doctor then began to violate and penetrate Christina's vaginal area using grabbing motions with fingers the doctor then violated and penetrated Miss cardan in his anal cavity performing the same grabbing motions with his fingers the doctor's violation and penetration of Christina's body was unwanted illegal and violative of the express written language of the warrant the violation and penetration of her body was done under threat and intimidation by the defendants the defendants unwanted violation of Christina's vaginal and anal cavity constituted without limitation sexual battery unwanted sexual conduct and unwanted and forceful penetration of Christina's vagina and rectum she was visibly shaken ill sobbing and otherwise emotionally disturbed as a result of the bodily violations performed by the doctor still Bound by handcuffs she lay on her side crying she was then illegally forced into a law enforcement vehicle crying and still Bound by handcuffs she was driven back to the CCI facility although she was told that she was no longer being detained defendants refused to take off the handcuffs that restrained Christina's body no Contraband existed or was ever found in Miss cardenas's belongings vehicle or person nonetheless she was denied scheduled visitation with her husband unlawfully detained for hours denied basic necessities of life taken to a secondary facility for search subjected to humiliating perw walk in front of medical professionals and passerbys and ultimately forced into extensive radiology and traumatizing penetrations of her vagina and anal cavities she then was forced to pay for the state sanctioned torture when Christina returned to the CCI facility an officer returned her belongings she asked the officer if she could return tomorrow for a normal visit with her husband the officer left the room to inquire and another officer returned to the room and rudely questioned Christina as to what she quote wanted end quote she repeated her question regarding a normal visit the officer informed her that her visit was cancelled we saw damages for her and a change in policy for spouses who are visiting their marital partners and we achieved a policy that was even wider and better because it covers all visitors today we're thrilled to announce that due to Christina's courage and her persistence in pursuing this case that we were able to settle it with a global settlement on the eve of trial for $5.6 million of this amount cdcr paid a total of $3.6 million with the remaining defendants paying a total of $2 million the settlement also included non-monetary relief which was very important to Christina because she wanted to protect other spouses who wish to visit their husbands in the future without being subjected to searches which violate their civil rights the non-monetary relief consists of an agreement by the ccdr to distribute a policy memorandum to all employees which which is more protective of the rights of visitors undergoing unclothed body cavity searches at cdcr institutions in the future this settlement would never have been obtained without the hard work and exceptional litigation skills of our co-counsel John Carpenter and Carlos Hernandez and Alina W from day one of this case John and Carlos demonstrated a passion to win Justice for Christina for all of us it was a righteous cause it was an honor to work with them and Christina to assist in achieving this historic result and now I would like to present Christina who has a statement then we'll have questions and then we also have photos of Christina and her husband so why don't you change these with me Christina here okay all right cool you thank you thank you all for being here today um there's no recompense excuse me recompense there's no recompense that can fully heal the pain caused by the sexual violation on September 6 2019 my motivation in pursuing this lawsuit was to ensure that others do not have to endure the same egregious offenses that I experienced I pray that this Landmark settlement serves as a resounding message to all correctional officers that harmful Behavior Fe will not be tolerated it is crucial to treat visitors not as criminals but with humanity and respect for their human rights pardon me I also hope that this serves as a beacon to all family and loved ones of the incarcerated reminding them that they do not have to endure abuse simply because they're visiting a family member or a friend Studies have shown that male inmates who receive visits experience a reduction of over 50% in recidivism or reoffending it is crucial not to criminalize or victimize those who are visiting and supporting true rehabilitation in this sensitive matter my purpose is not in seeking Vengeance or Triumph but to stand in Grace and forgiveness for the harm and residual trauma that has been caused I I will continue to pray for all parties involved moving forward with loving kindness and compassion and I ask God to Grant wisdom and fortitude to all parties involved to prevent this harm from occurring again in the future and thank you all for your time and consideration thank you um want to change with John yes okay change SE thank you so thank you for coming here today I just really wanted to thank you for Christina's courage when Christina was multiply sexually violated she was violated by officers of the State of California in an environment by doctors in a hospital after she was multiply violated in this way she went to the police at tahachi to report this sexual assault and this rape and the tahat police department did nothing the she was violated by the same people who we trust to protect us doctors and in California officers and when she reported it to the state the police department they did nothing it was through her courage in standing up not just for herself but for everyone else that she came to us to give us the ability to to set this right and it was Christina that insisted upon the policy change because she was not doing this just for herself she was doing it for everyone and I'm just so so proud of you and thank you for your courage and um love you you can we the your name we also we also John Carpenter John Carpenter Attorney John Carpenter and we also have with us Carlos Hernandez who will be also happy to answer any questions or do an interview in Spanish uh with anyone who wishes that to be done um um and with Christina as well so we're happy to take any questions if there are any okay so what is the standard practice at any of the CCI facilities for spousal visit does it incorporate any type of strip searches is that standard or is it just usually just questions asked if you can just elaborate on that please you are not allowed to strip search people for visiting their husbands let's be clear about that there are there are policies of procedures at the prison where PRI prisoners have a lowered expectation of privacy visitors do not they have if they have a warrant for a search and it's lawful they have to obey by the letter of the law that search warrant they cannot subject visitors or strip searches period and that's what this policy change in absolutely clearly make sure this will never happen again we insisted upon this letter this policy be sent to every single facility in the state of California so that does not happen and we have included in our press materials the wording of the policy change and uh that's called non-monetary relief and uh it clearly sets forth the agreement in the settlement about how the the cdcr uh should handle uh future visits um I do want to say that um I guess we can change would you like to add anything not deign okay all right I'll just change all right thank you um excuse me I would like to emphasize that there was a search warrant but again it was limited to performing an x-ray on Christina's body and if no Contraband was found nothing more could be done with her but in violation of that they continued with the the CT scan you know with the doctor probing her vaginal area her anal area I mean this is Absol absolutely outrageous she was they continued to ask for her consent of course she did not give it even though she was in handcuffs and intimidated so this is really a historic case not only for the amount uh but also because of the non-monetary relief and agreement by the cdcr so we have photos why don't you stand up and of Christina and her husband you can stand up too and these are beautiful photos was this when you were married uh after after okay and so you want to hold that one and there another one okay and so those are the photos will these be made available after yeah okay laor can you clarify when you spoke about the officers correctional officers were were there any female officers involved in this search or well there are actually more than one search would you like to respond to that can that M there were um there were female officers also involved hang on before you start yeah yeah uh in this in this unlawful search there were female officers