Turning Pain Into Purpose: Wives of Late Hockey Brothers Johnny and Matthew Goodro Speak Out One Year After Tragedy

Nearly a year ago, a single moment changed everything. On a bright August afternoon, just hours before their sister’s wedding, brothers Johnny and Matthew Goodro—accomplished hockey players, beloved fathers, husbands, and sons—were riding their bikes home from a friendly round of golf in southern New Jersey. Their lives were cut short when an alleged drunk driver struck and killed them both.

In their first interview together since that devastating day, Meredith and Maline Goodro—their widows—sat side by side, united by grief, resilience, and a shared commitment to honoring the men they lost.

“Half of Me Died That Day”

“Half of me—the best part of me—died that day too,” Meredith quietly admits. “So I’m just trying to be double now for my kids, even though I’m half of who I was.”

With soft-spoken resolve, she describes the daily effort to fill two parenting roles for her young children, Noah and Johnny Jr, and a newborn, Carter Michael Goodro, born eight months after the tragedy. For Maline, who gave birth to her and Matthew’s first child just four months after his death, the challenge mirrors Meredith’s.

“I want people to remember John not just as an amazing hockey player, but as a really good father,” Meredith says, her voice breaking but determined. “He found so much joy with our kids.”

Meline’s voice cracks with emotion as she describes Matthew: “He was just a pure, happy, good soul. Fearless. He made me a better person. He was so excited to be a dad, and it’s heartbreaking he isn’t here for these milestones.”

The Day That Changed Everything

On August 29th, Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, brothers who shared a lifelong bond both on and off the ice, were riding home, their hearts full with anticipation for their sister’s wedding the next day. The crash, caused by Sean Higgins, who now faces multiple felony charges, shattered not just two families, but a community.

At Johnny’s funeral, Meredith revealed she was expecting their third child. “His reaction—he just hugged me, kissed me. He was so happy.” Months later, she welcomed baby Carter, who she now describes as “the happiest four-month-old I’ve ever seen. He doesn’t stop smiling. It’s as if John is shining through him.”

For Maline, the months following Matthew’s death were a blur of sorrow and new beginnings. Their son, Trip, is now reaching milestones Matthew longed to witness. “It’s tough,” Maline says, “because Matt was so excited to do all those things with Trip.”

Keeping Memories Alive

Life after unimaginable loss is a marathon of memory and meaning. “My daughter is two. She asks for her daddy a lot—she says he’s in heaven and wants to understand what that means. Sometimes she wants to call him, or she sings ‘Happy Birthday’ to him. I try to find the words, but sometimes there just aren’t any.”

Both women speak of writing as a way to connect; Maline writes nightly letters to Matthew, updating him on the small triumphs and heartbreaks of raising their son alone. “A couple days after the accident, I just started,” she says. “Lately, it’s like telling him, ‘Trip has two teeth now,’ even though deep down, I hope, somehow, Matt already knows.”

“The days are long but the years are fast,” Meredith adds. “I feel like every day is just one day closer to seeing John again.”

Turning Loss Into Legacy

Through their pain, Meredith and Maline have refused to simply endure. Instead, they have transformed heartbreak into action with the creation of the John and Matthew Goodro Foundation. The nonprofit supports youth hockey initiatives and provides aid to families facing tragedy.

“It was never lost on John and Maddie how expensive it is to keep kids in hockey, especially when you have to start so young,” the women explain. “They loved this sport—giving back in their names just felt right.”

Johnny was a star at Boston College and a seven-time NHL All-Star, while Matthew retired early from professional hockey to coach youth leagues. The families’ love for hockey is generational, and even now, the boys’ own fathers are helping pass on that legacy to their grandchildren.

“My father-in-law watches Trip when I’m at work,” Maline laughs gently, “and Trip’s favorite toy is a hockey stick. My father-in-law wants to take him to the rink, which is tough because Matt isn’t here to do it with him.”

Navigating Grief with Young Children

Helping young kids through such loss adds another layer to the family’s grief. “My two-year-old is aware—it’s his birthday, and she insists on blue icing for the cake because that’s what Johnny always wanted,” Meredith shares. “It’s small, but it’s everything to us.” The rituals are poignant reminders of the everyday moments that meant the most.

Unspoken Words, Enduring Love

When asked if there’s anything left unsaid to their husbands, both women pause. “Thank you for making me a mom,” Maline finally says, blinking back tears. She shares that after a miscarriage in February, she was hesitant to try again, but Matt never lost hope. “I never got to thank him. But I believe he already knows.”

Awaiting Justice, Focusing on the Future

The man accused in the crash, Sean Higgins, awaits trial, having pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges. Amid the legal limbo, Goodro’s widows say they’re determined to focus on healing, justice, and hope.

Meredith and Maline lean on faith, family, and each other, working tirelessly so their children grow up with full knowledge of their fathers’ kindness and courage. “Everything we’re doing now is for our kids and our husbands,” Maline says. “We want them to be proud.”

A Community Uplifted By Two Heroes

Today, on what would have been Johnny Goodro’s 32nd birthday, blue icing graces the family’s cake and laughter mixes with tears. It’s a scene of resilience—a celebration not just of what was lost, but of the legacy that remains through the Goodro Foundation, the sport they loved, and the children who carry the best of their fathers inside them.

As Meredith and Maline continue to write new chapters in their lives, they do so with the knowledge that their husbands’ stories—full of love, hope, and memories—will never be forgotten.