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Madeline and Meredith were also both pregnant when their husbands died.

Madeline's baby, Tripp, was born four months later and Meredith gave birth to baby Carter eight months after the crash.

“Carter looks exactly like him, and he's the happiest 4-month-old I've ever seen,\" Meredith said. \"He just doesn't stop smiling, and I think it's really special, because, you know, he's shining through in Carter, I think, a lot. Can't imagine how happy John would be if he was here.”

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A post shared by Meredith Gaudreau (@meredithgaudreau_)

\"Tripp's now hitting milestones,\" Madeline said, \"so that's heartbreaking because Matt was super excited to be a dad.\"

Madeline said she started writing to her husband every night, starting a few days after his death.

\"Lately it's been like, oh, you know, 'Tripp has two teeth now, but I know you know this.' Because it's hard for me to write and think that Matt isn't seeing this,\" she said.

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A post shared by Madeline Gaudreau (@mogaudreau)

Asked if there was anything she hadn't said to Matthew that she wanted to say now, Madeline responded, \"'Thank you for making me a mom.' Because for a long time, Matt has wanted kids.\"

Madeline said she miscarried in February 2024 before getting pregnant with Tripp in March 2024.

\"I never thanked him for making me a mom,\" she said.

Amid their grief, Meredith and Madeline dreamed up the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation to support youth hockey initiatives and hockey families who’ve suffered similar tragedies. The Gaudreau brothers were both hockey stars at Boston College. Johnny Gaudreau became a seven-time All-Star in the NHL while Matthew retired from professional hockey to coach youth hockey.

\"It was never lost on John and Matty about how expensive it is to maintain hockey as a hobby, especially. You have to start so young,\" Meredith said.

\"PHOTO:
ABC News
PHOTO: Madeline and Meredith Gaudreau speak to ABC News.
>

The sisters-in-law have been leaning on their community, and each other, over the last year as they keep their husbands' memories alive.

Asked how they'd want their husbands to be remembered, Meredith said of Johnny, \"Everyone knows him as an amazing hockey player. ... I want him to be remembered as someone who was a really good father.\"

Madeline said she wants Matthew to be remembered as \"a good soul. He was just a pure, happy, good soul, fearless.\"

\"He made me a better person,\" Madeline said.

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