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A crowd of Blue Jackets fans sang ‘happy birthday’ to Johnny Gaudreau Jr. in a touching moment in the wake of his father Johnny’s tragic death last year.
The Blue Jackets were facing off against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, February 22 at Nationwide Arena, Columbus when fans were informed during a stoppage midway through the first period that Johnny Gaudreau Jr. was celebrating his first birthday.
The arena’s video board then showed Johnny’s widow, Meredith, holding up baby Johnny Jr.
After the crowd was asked to sing the traditional birthday song, fans sang in unison while Meredith held Johnny Jr. up to soak in the emotional moment.
Johnny, 31, was killed, along with his brother Matthew, 29, in August 2024 when they were struck and killed by a driver while riding bikes in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. The tragic incident occurred the night before their sister Katie’s wedding.
As well as wife Meredith and son Johnny Jr., Johnny was survived by his daughter Noa, 2. For his part, Matthew was survived by his wife Madeline, who later gave birth to their first child, a son named Tripp Matthew, in December 2024.
Following Johnny’s death, Meredith revealed she was nine weeks pregnant with the couple’s third child during September 2024 memorial service for the late brothers.
“We’re actually a family of five,” Meredith said at the September 9 , 2024 ceremony held at St. Mary Magdalen Parish outside Philadelphia. “I’m in my ninth week of pregnancy with our third baby. A total surprise, but again, John was beaming and so excited.”
Meredith added, “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 say, ‘You’re nuts, you know that? Three kids?’”
During her speech, Meredith also vowed to keep her late husband’s legacy alive on the ice.
“John, I promise to have baby Johnny on skates soon and to be a dedicated hockey mom that drives any distance to all the tournaments,” she said. “I’ll wake up early for the games, even if that means baby Johnny shows up in Winnie the Pooh pajamas and sleeps on the bench, just like you did.”
A month later, Meredith posted a poignant tribute to her late partner, who she was married to just shy of three years prior to his death.
“John, we love you so much,” Meredith wrote via Instagram in October. “I grow more and more proud of you every single day, (I have since the day I met you) and it continues even though you are in heaven. Thank you for giving me our hockey family, our children and such a beautiful life as your wife.”
She continued: “You are and will always be my everything. I love you so much. I love you more every day. I always told you there are no words to describe my love for you. There just aren’t. ‘You know how much I love you, right?’ 🤍.”
