Meredith Gaudreau and Johnny Gaudreau Courtesy of Meredith Gaudreau/Instagram
Meredith Gaudreau found a poignant way to keep her late husband’s legacy alive permanently.
Following the death of Meredith’s husband, NHL star Johnny Gaudreau, in August 2024, she recently received tattoos to commemorate Johnny using his ashes in the ink.
“A month ago, a client reached out to me for a cremation tattoo,” tattoo artist Tay Nicole Clinch shared via Instagram on Wednesday, January 15. “I’d never done one and was transparent about that but she chose to stick with me anyway. Shortly after, she let me in on her story and It’s safe to say I got pretty emotional when I’d come to realize this was a story I had already knew of and was brought to tears over in the past.”
Johnny and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, were struck and killed by a drunk driver while riding bicycles in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, on August 29, 2024. Johnny was 31 years old, Matthew was 29.
Clinch continued, “With some factors involved, this isn’t something I’d do but given the circumstances, I made an exception. Safety was prioritized. A medical professional was consulted and gave clearance, ensuring this decision was made with care and informed guidance.”
Meredith’s tattoo. Courtesy of Tay Nicole Clinch/Instagram
Meredith had the ford “Forever” tattooed on the inside of one of her fingers and the names of her two children — daughter Noa, 2, and son Johnny, 22 months — on her forearm.
“So, with his ashes in the ink, this tattoo became an additional way to carry his presence with her alongside their babies— thank you for trusting me with something so special and letting me play a small role in your healing journey,” Clinch wrote.
Clinch explained she waited a month to post about the tattoos because she “wanted Meredith to have some private time with these while they healed and they’ve healed well without any unusual side effects.”
Meredith expressed her gratitude in the comments section of Clinch’s post, writing, “Obsessed with them. Perfectly done by the best and coolest girl.”
The tattoo artist hinted that there might be more ink in Meredith’s future, commenting, “So excited for the other ideas.”
Meredith’s tattoo. Courtesy of Tay Nicole Clinch/Instagram
At a memorial service for Johnny and Matthew in September 2024, Meredith revealed she was nine weeks pregnant with the couple’s third baby.
“We’re actually a family of five,” Meredith said during her eulogy. “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?’”
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