Katie Gaudreau is eagerly anticipating the arrival of her first child, a moment infused with both joy and poignant memories of her late brothers, Johnny and Matthew. In a recent conversation with PEOPLE, she shared the profound experience of connecting with Matthew through dreams during her pregnancy, a journey that has been marked by both excitement and sorrow.
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Katie’s pregnancy comes nearly two years after the tragic loss of her brothers, who were killed by an alleged drunk driver. At 27 years old, she finds herself grappling with the emotional weight of their absence while preparing for motherhood. She recounted a particularly vivid dream she had about Matthew, who was just 29 at the time of his untimely passing. This dream occurred on the eve of a doctor’s appointment she had scheduled due to her struggles with conception over the past year.
Describing the dream as startlingly real, Katie explained, “He had a baby for me, he was giving me a baby.” At the time, she was unaware that she was already pregnant, which made the experience all the more surreal. The day after this vivid dream, Katie went to see a fertility specialist and, ultimately, discovered her pregnancy. Reflecting on the experience, she joked about her brothers’ enduring influence, quipping that they “just really like to stress me out,” even in spirit.
Currently 29 weeks along, Katie has made the decision to keep the baby’s sex a surprise until the delivery. However, she revealed that Matthew shared this information with her during their dream encounter, and she is curious to see if his revelation holds true. “I really felt my brothers, especially Matthew, a lot in this pregnancy,” she remarked, highlighting the ways she believes they are still present in her life.
The emotional landscape of her family’s grief is shared by her mother, Jane, who has also been searching for signs from her sons. Jane expressed that, at times, the barriers of grief can make it challenging to feel connected to departed loved ones. “Our grief therapist said sometimes your grief wall’s too thick so they can’t get through, so I’m going with that,” she explained. Jane’s own meaningful experiences with signs from her sons included a double rainbow that appeared just after she had asked them to intervene during a rainstorm on the day of last year’s charity 5K event.
This annual event, the Gaudreau Family Foundation 5K, is a heartfelt initiative that brings the family together in memory of Johnny and Matthew. Scheduled for May 15, the event will take place virtually and in-person in Sewell, New Jersey. The first charity run marked a significant moment for Jane, as it was the first time she felt assured she had received a sign from her sons.
Katie reflected on how her connection with her brothers intensified after her wedding in July 2025, which had been postponed due to their deaths. Following this important life event, she began experiencing an increase in dreams and feelings of their presence. “I think it was October 19th, that was the dream about Matthew, the night before the Hero Walk… and since then, little things that have come up, in stressful moments, I can really feel their presence,” Katie said.
As she prepares to enter motherhood, Katie Gaudreau’s story intertwines themes of grief, love, and hope. She carries both the memory of her brothers and the anticipation of welcoming a new life into the world. Through her dreams, her reflections, and her ongoing connection to her family, Katie continues to navigate the complexities of loss while embracing the joys of impending parenthood.