Matthew Gaudreau’s Widow Gets Tattoos Honoring Him and Their Newborn Son – ryan

Matthew Gaudreau’s wife is remembering the late hockey star — and honoring their newborn son — with new tattoos almost eight months after her husband’s death.

“My boys,” Madeline Gaudreau wrote on Instagram on Saturday, April 12, along with a photo of the two tattoos. The first one features the letters “MR” and “TM” for Matthew Ryan and their son Tripp Matthew. And on the back of her forearm is the number 21, Matthew’s number while playing for the Boston College Eagles.

“I wanted Matty’s initials to be right next to Tripp’s,” Madeline wrote in a comment explaining the meaning behind the tattoo, “as his dad will always be right next to him.”

Last August, the Gaudreau family’s world was upended when Matthew, 29, and his brother, NHL star Johnny, 31, died in a bike crash in Oldmans Township, N.J., after they were hit by alleged drunk driver Sean M. Higgins.

Matthew played for several minor league teams, most recently the Worcester Railers. He had been the head coach of their high school team, Gloucester Catholic High in New Jersey, the last two years before his death, according to Elite Prospects.

On Dec. 11, 2024, Higgins was formally indicted by a grand jury on several charges, including second-degree reckless vehicular homicide and first-degree aggravated manslaughter. The trial is ongoing.

Later that month, Madeline, who had been married to Matthew for three years, announced that she’d given birth to their son, Tripp. “Mommy & Daddy’s world,” Madeline wrote on Instagram on Dec. 29, alongside a photo of her holding the newborn’s hand.

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Following her husband’s death, Madeline wrote about her enduring love for him.

“Best 14 years of my life,” she wrote on Instagram in September 2024, which is now pinned to the top of her page. The photo shows the couple holding hands in a field. She continued, “I will cherish those years and you for the rest of my life.”