Meredith Gaudreau and Kristen Hayes Bond Over Being ‘Members of a Club No One Wants to Be In’

Meredith Gaudreau and Kristen Hayes are bonding over their shared trauma of losing their respective husbands, NHL stars Johnny Gaudreau and Jimmy Hayes .

Following the memorial service for Johnny and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau , Kristen took to Instagram to share a supportive message for Meredith.

“So proud of you Meredith. I’m so glad I found the strength to speak at Jimmy’s services. Some days I have no idea how we do it, but we do,” Kristen wrote via her Instagram Story on Monday, September 9, while reposting a snap from Meredith’s speech. “I know every single emotion you are feeling today and every other day after that. You’re incredible.”

In response, Meredith reshared the image to her own Instagram Story, writing, “We are members of a club no one wants to be in. Love you, Kristen.”

Kristen’s late husband, Jimmy, died at age 31 in August 2021 of fentanyl and cocaine intoxication, per a medical examiner. The Boston Globe previously struggled with painkillers and began taking them again to deal with an injury.

News broke late last month that Johnny and Matthew were struck and killed when they were riding their bikes in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. Johnny was 31 and Matthew was 29 at the time of their deaths.

Us Weekly confirmed that Johnny and Matthew were hit by 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins , who was arrested and charged with two counts of vehicular homicide. He is suspected of being drunk at the time of the incident.

Higgins was driving behind two vehicles and “attempted to pass the slower-moving sedan and SUV” when he “entered the southbound lanes of travel, passed the slower-moving sedan and attempted to re-enter the northbound lanes of travel,” the New Jersey State Police told Us .

Columbus Blue Jackets’ Johnny Gaudreau and Wife Meredith Gaudreau’s Relationship Timeline

“The SUV in front of Higgins moved to the middle of the roadway, splitting the north and south lanes to safely pass the two pedalcyclist traveling north on the right side of the roadway,” which is when the accident occurred. Johnny and Matthew were both struck “in the rear” by Higgins.

Johnny and Matthew were set to be groomsmen in sister Katie Gaudreau ’s wedding, which was scheduled to take place the following day. The vows have since been postponed. The brothers are survived by their parents and two sisters, as well as Johnny’s wife Meredith and Matthew’s wife Madeline.

While honoring her late husband, Johnny, during the memorial service on Monday, Meredith revealed that she is pregnant with their third baby . (Meredith and Johnny shared daughter Noa, 23 months, and son Johnny, 6 months.)

“We’re actually a family of five,” Meredith said during the eulogy. “I’m in my ninth week of pregnancy with our third baby. A total surprise, but again, John was beaming and so excited.”

Madeline is also pregnant with her and Matthew’s first child , a son they plan to name Tripp. “I’m so thankful God gave us a child, a little Matty, to run around for life, to carry on his legacy,” she said during her own speech on Monday. “Tripp will know how much his father loved him, and I promise to do all the things with him we talked about.”