The Blue Jackets Must Follow Meredith Gaudreau's Lead By Staying Strong While Attempting To Move Forward

The Blue Jackets Must Follow Meredith Gaudreau's Lead By Staying Strong While Attempting To Move Forward

The shock and sadness of the sudden passing of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew still hasn't worn off, but every day that goes by seems to go by just a little easier. 

Everyone knew that yesterday was coming, however. The funeral services for the Gaudreau Brothers were held on Monday afternoon, and it was nothing short of sad. The Gaudreau family was shattered in an instant. One can't begin to imagine the pain and heartbreak that his family feels. But if you watched the funeral online, you could feel the pain and sorrow of the Gaudreau Brothers' parents, Jane and Guy. 

From start to finish it was both beautiful and heartbreaking. Remembering Johnny and Matthew with stories told by their wives Meredith and Madeline was very moving. Both made sure to try to make the people chuckle at some points as a bit of laughter is always good for the soul. 

Meredith Gaudreau told the story of how she and Johnny met from start to finish, getting a glimpse into their relationship. After telling everyone that the last six months were the best six months of her life while being a family of four, she revealed to the world that she's 9 weeks pregnant with their third child. For the countless people who were watching online, and for the people inside St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church who didn't already know, this added more pain to the already devastating loss. 

After Meredith Gaudreau spoke for nearly 30 minutes, the caskets were then taken out to a pair of waiting hearses.

After his passing, Meredith Gaudreau has been sharing photos, videos, and stories of her late husband on Instagram. She's also re-shared many photos and videos from other people as well. After listening to her speak about Johnny and the love she had for him, there's no doubt that she will make sure that his legacy lives on. She seems like a very strong woman, despite everything that has happened, and has no choice but to move forward with her kids and raise them to be great people, just as Johnny would want. 

Now the Blue Jackets must do the same thing - Move forward and stay strong. Although very few people want to talk about hockey after this tragedy, the CBJ front office, and the players will be getting back to work soon, as camp starts in a few weeks. 

Somehow, some way, the Jackets need to come together and play for Johnny. I can't fathom the idea of these players stepping onto the ice for the first time without their friend and teammate, but much like Meredith Gaudreau, they need to try to use his memory as motivation to get out there and play every day.

Johnny Gaudreau would want them to get back on the ice and play hard every day. 

What do you think? Please share your thoughts on our forum.

More From THN Columbus