The surprise Johnny Gaudreau discovered days before the 2024 tragedy

The moment came quietly, during a short walk back to the car after a wedding dinner.

Meredith Gaudreau recently shared that her late husband, Johnny Gaudreau, learned they were expecting their third child only days before the tragedy that took his life in August 2024.

The revelation came during an appearance on the Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce podcast, where Meredith described the emotional week the couple spent processing the surprise news together.

It would turn out to be one of the most meaningful weeks of their lives.

The tragedy that shook the NHL

On August 29, 2024, the hockey world was stunned by devastating news.

Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau were killed after an allegedly drunk driver struck them while they were riding bicycles in New Jersey. The accident occurred just one day before their sister Katie's wedding.

Tributes quickly spread across the league. The Columbus Blue Jackets, the team Gaudreau joined in 2022, described him as not only an elite player but a teammate whose presence lifted everyone around him.

Across the NHL, players honored the forward who fans knew as "Johnny Hockey." His career numbers told the story of a star.

More than 700 career NHL points, multiple All-Star appearances, and a standout 115-point season in 2021-22 with the Calgary Flames. Few American-born players in the modern era produced offense at that level.

Yet behind the spotlight, Gaudreau's life revolved around his family.

That summer, their family was about to grow again.

The moment Johnny realized something was different

Meredith said she first discovered the pregnancy while attending a friend's wedding with Johnny and his siblings. She was only about seven weeks along.

During the rehearsal dinner, she tried to keep the news to herself. She even pretended to drink beer to avoid questions.

But Matthew Gaudreau noticed. He watched her carefully across the table, suspicious that something seemed off.

Meredith insisted nothing was going on. Johnny, however, picked up on the tension. Later that evening, while the couple walked toward their car, he confronted her gently.

He knew she had not been truthful when she told family members she had recently gotten her period.

That quiet moment became the unexpected way Johnny learned they were having another child.

Meredith recalled that the news caught him off guard.

He laughed. He shook his head. Then he started thinking about what life with three kids would look like.

"Three kids? That's insane," he joked, according to Meredith.

But the disbelief quickly turned into excitement.

The text messages he sent the next morning

The next day, Johnny Gaudreau went to skate.

But he couldn't stop thinking about the news.

Meredith said her phone filled with messages as he tried to process everything.

"I can't focus on this skate," he wrote in one text.

Another message followed minutes later.

"I can't believe we're having a third baby."

She remembers receiving nearly twenty messages in a row. Some were excited. Others were nervous. Many were simply Johnny thinking out loud.

Those texts became one of the last conversations they shared.

A secret revealed during a moment of grief

Only a week later, tragedy struck.

When family and friends gathered for Johnny Gaudreau's funeral in September 2024, Meredith shared the news publicly for the first time.

According to ABC News, she told mourners the family was larger than many people realized.

"We're actually a family of five," she said.

At the time, she was about nine weeks pregnant. The couple already had two young children.

Their daughter Noa, now three, and their son Johnny, two.

Why the name Carter meant something special

Months later, Meredith gave birth to a baby boy. She named him Carter. The choice was not random.

Meredith explained that Johnny had always liked the name long before the pregnancy. The couple kept a list of names they both loved and often talked about what they might use someday.

They also shared a tradition. They never learned the gender of their babies before birth.

That meant Carter's name was chosen simply because they loved it.

Meredith has said she hopes to tell her son one day that his father was already excited about the name.

Remembering Johnny Gaudreau beyond the rink

For fans, Johnny Gaudreau will always be remembered for the way he played. Fast. Creative. Fearless.

His move to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022 instantly became one of the biggest signings in franchise history. His playmaking ability brought star power to the organization and excitement to its fan base.

After his death, teams around the league honored him during the 2024-25 NHL season with tributes and moments of recognition.

But for his family, the legacy feels far more personal.

Meredith is now raising three young children while sharing the memories of the man behind the nickname.

For her, one week from the summer of 2024 stands apart.

The week Johnny Gaudreau discovered their growing family.

Reporting based on Meredith Gaudreau's interview on the Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce podcast, statements reported by ABC News from Johnny Gaudreau's funeral, and verified statistics from NHL historical records and Columbus Blue Jackets team archives.