Johnny Gaudreau’s widow tragically lost her husband, but the former NHL star will be a part of her “forever.”
Meredith Gaudreau has added a few more tattoos in memory of Johnny — and this certainly was no ordinary ink.
Meredith teamed up with a tattoo artist for what is known as a cremation tattoo, in which a loved one’s ashes are mixed in with the ink for the body art.
To memorialize Johnny, a seven-time NHL all-star who was killed alongside his brother Matthew last year by an alleged drunk driver, Meredith got the word “forever” in cursive inked on the side of her left ring finger and the names of the couple’s two children — Noa Harper, 2, and Johnny Edward, 11 months — on the inside of her forearm.
At the memorial service for the brothers in September, Meredith revealed that she is expecting the couple’s third child.
Tay Nicole Clinch, a New Jersey tattoo artist, shared some background on the tattoos earlier this week in an Instagram post featuring the artwork.
Clinch wrote that she had never done a cremation tattoo, but that she made an exception for Meredith while prioritizing safety and consulting a medical professional.
“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,” Clinch wrote.
“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.”
Meredith thanked Clinch in the comments, writing: “Obsessed with them. Perfectly done by the best and coolest girl.”
The Gaudreaus, who were in their hometown of Salem, N.J., for their sister’s wedding, were biking on the evening of Aug. 29 in nearby Oldmans Township when they were hit by a vehicle driven by Higgins, who was suspected of being drunk.
Johnny, who played 11 seasons in the NHL with the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets, and Matthew, a minor-league hockey player, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Last month, during a trip to Calgary for a tribute to the fallen brothers, Meredith revealed that she had recently received her first tattoo — her late husband’s name and his No. 13 inked on her wrist.
“I thought it would be cool to say that I did that in Calgary because that is where his autograph really took off,” Meredith said. “It’s like, this is where it all began.
“I was a little nervous,” she added, “but I really love it.”