Madeline Gaudreau shared a deeply moving letter on her Instagram story on Sunday to honor the memory of her late husband, Matthew Gaudreau. The heartfelt message expressed her enduring love and pain following his tragic death.
Madeline talked about the suddenness of Matthew’s loss, admitting she wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
"Sometimes in life, there are losses. Losses that can never really be replaced. Losing you has been the hardest thing I've ever had to live with,” she began. “I wasn't ready to say goodbye. I wasn't ready to let you leave. I would give anything for just one more day, just one more second."
In her letter, Madeline focused on the love which she still feels for Matthew.
"But I've learned to trust in unconditional love. Because the one profound thing about death is that love never dies. Some bonds cannot be broken,” she wrote. “Even though you're not physically here, your heart is - it lives on within me."
Matthew Gaudreau, 29, and his brother Johnny Gaudreau, 31, tragically died in a bike accident on Aug. 29, 2023, in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. The brothers had returned to their hometown to attend their sister Katie’s wedding.
Madeline shared how she carries Matthew’s presence with her through life’s moments, both big and small.
"I carry your heart inside mine. I carry it on days when I discover something new. I carry it on days when beauty unfolds in the most unexpected places,” she wrote. “I carry it on days when I find courage to heal and to grow. I carry it with me always."
"Someday we will meet again and we will no longer be separated by time or space. But until that day, I'll find comfort in knowing that you are still with me. Your heart safely tucked inside mine..."
She ended her letter with hope and love, writing,
"I loved you then. I love you now. Always did. Always will. Forever in my mind. Forever in my heart. I will carry you."
Matthew Gaudreau and Johnny's accident occurred when the driver, Sean M. Higgins, struck them with his vehicle. Higgins later admitted to drinking before the crash and now faces legal charges.
Matthew Gaudreau's wife Madeline recently gave birth to their son Tripp
Matthew Gaudreau's wife Madeline shared the news of her son, Tripp Matthew's birth, on Dec. 29. She posted a photo holding his hand with the caption:
"Mommy & Daddy’s world."
Family members, including Matthew’s mom and Johnny’s wife, Meredith, expressed their love and pride. Tripp brings hope for Madeline in Matthew's absence.