Meredith Gaudreau has said she had no tattoos before Johnny and his brother Matthew died in August 2024. The pieces she has described since then are tied to her family: Johnny’s handwriting, her children’s names, Matthew’s nickname, and the date and words from her wedding vows.
The signature tattoo started the whole collection
Meredith’s first tattoo was Johnny’s autograph on her right wrist or lower forearm. She used a photograph of a signature he had written for her when she needed it for a playoff jacket. The tattoo keeps the shape of his handwriting, with a long stroke and the number 13 worked into the line. Johnny wore 13 during his NHL career.
She first spoke about the tattoo during a return to Calgary, where Johnny’s professional career had taken off. The visit adds context to the story, but the design itself comes from his autograph.
Several photos show the same wrist tattoo differently
One interview photo shows Meredith pointing to the wrist tattoo; another catches it beside bracelets Johnny gave her. A close-up makes the thin strokes easier to see, while a wider frame shows how small the mark is on her arm.
The People image below isolates the same signature against a pale background. It makes the number 13 easier to pick out, but it is another view of the wrist piece, not a separate tattoo.
The children’s names use a different kind of script
On her other arm, Meredith has the names Noa Harper and Johnny Edward. Carter’s name was added after he was born in April 2025. Meredith has said some of Johnny’s ashes were mixed into the ink; that detail comes from her account and cannot be seen in a photograph.
The names are written in fine script with room between them. Carter’s addition expanded the tattoo while keeping the original idea intact.
A closer look at the wrist script
This People photo gives a clear view of Johnny’s signature and the number 13. The scale is easier to judge against Meredith’s wrist than in the tighter crop above.
One name can hold a whole family
Meredith also has a tattoo reading Matty, the nickname for Johnny’s younger brother, Matthew. She has explained that Matthew mattered to her and the children, and she wanted him remembered in his own right rather than disappearing into coverage focused on Johnny.
The word stands on its own. It does not need a portrait or a jersey number to identify the person it honors.
A wider view of the Calgary tribute
Meredith returned to Calgary with her family for a hockey ceremony honoring Johnny. The photo shows the wrist tattoo with the bracelets and clothes she wore that day; it gives event context, not evidence of another design.
A small promise can change with time
An early finger tattoo read Forever. Reports said Johnny’s ashes were mixed into its ink, as they were for the names on her arm. Meredith later said the small piece wore off and she replaced it with JM, for Johnny and Meredith.
Finger tattoos get frequent movement, washing and friction, so the letters can fade. In Meredith’s account, the wording changed from a promise to a pair of initials; both versions are part of the tattoo’s history.
A private promise in the margins
On her left bicep, Meredith has the Roman-numeral date of her wedding to Johnny: September 3, 2021. Beneath it is a line from their vows, “All the days of my life.”
She said they never used the phrase “till death do us part.” That is the context she gave for choosing the wording beneath the date.
Why the collection feels cohesive without looking planned
The tattoos draw on different source material: an autograph, the children’s names, Matthew’s nickname, a finger tattoo that changed, and a date and line from the vows. Most use fine lettering, but each piece has its own reason and placement. They were added over time rather than designed as one matching set.
A few practical questions
For a handwriting or vow tattoo, bring the original sample and check every letter, date and numeral before the stencil is set. Ask the artist how the chosen size will hold up, especially for small script or a finger placement that gets more wear.