Support for Paul Gaudet's Family

Yesterday, we laid Paul à Austin Gaudet to rest. His family was joined by his many friends, the people he had touched over his 54 years. In the days prior to his funeral, I heard more than once from his friends that Paul had made them a better person. What a wonderful legacy of his impact on the people he loved. When Paul was your friend, it was for keeps. He was always supportive and present in their lives. Whenever he met you, he was always interested in what was going on in your life. For Paul, ‘How are you?’ was a question, not a conversation opener or part of a greeting.

Paul’s most important role was husband to Joan and father to Marie-Claude and Noelle. He adored his wife and his daughters, and they adored him. Paul was a homebody who was present at every milestone of his daughters’ lives. He was beyond proud of the independent young women his girls have become and could not wait to see what the future would bring for them. Paul was also the rock in his extended family, the person they would call for a helping hand or a bit of advice.

Unfortunately, this family has faced challenges in the last few years. Joan, a hairdresser, faced shutdowns and other operation limitations during COVID. Then, Joan faced a medical crisis from which she continues to slowly recover. No one expected this family would have to face yet another crisis less than a month ago when Paul was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

So now, Joan and the girls are starting life without Paul, a difficult transition for them and another period of uncertainty. We are reaching out to our community for their help to ease this transition for Joan and to lessen the financial stress the family is facing. All funds will go directly to Joan and the girls to help them with the expenses of the past weeks and the funeral expenses. We ask, as they gingerly take their first steps into their life without Paul, that our community stand beside them, steady these first steps and quietly say “Joan, we have your back”.