Man creates cereal box in honor of Gaudreau brothers, raises money for family
By Marcie Cipriani
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PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — Ty Ballou, known for creating products honoring athletes, was deeply moved by Team USA hockey’s tribute to the Gaudreau family after their gold medal win.
Ballou recently created a cereal box honoring the Gaudreau brothers, free of charge, to raise funds for their family foundation.
“To see a father losing two sons in one day, it’s impossible,” Ballou said, reflecting on the tragedy.
Ballou understands the pain of losing a child.
“I have, had, a special needs son who passed away last year,” he said. “My son Ryan was 37 last year.”
The loss of Ryan and the way he lived inspired Ballou to reach out to the widows of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, Meredith and Madeline, to create a cereal in their honor and raise money for the family foundation.
The Gaudreau brothers were bicycling together the day before their sister’s wedding in 2024 when they were struck and killed. Both men had young families and played hockey, with Johnny set to play for Team USA when they won the gold.
The team raised his jersey in victory, a moment that filled Ballou with pride and sadness.
“What an incredible tribute by the US hockey team,” Ballou said. “First of all, to win that game, to go into the stands, where Meredith was … And it’s Johnny Junior’s birthday yesterday.”
While the loss remains tough for the Gaudreau family, Ballou is grateful to help.
He has worked with athletes to create products like Flutie Flakes and Jerome Bettis’ Championship Crunch, but the Gaudreau family holds a special place in his heart, with his son Ryan as his inspiration.
“I just sent them a check for $20,000 that was raised from the cereal,” Ballou said. “Hopefully, much more after this. And there’s really no cap to it. We’re going to continue to do this as long as they want to work together.”
The Bond of Brothers cereal, with all proceeds going to the Gaudreau Family Foundation, is available for purchase online.
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