Talk to anyone who knew Matt. At first a tear may stream down their face, but then in conversation tears will be overcome with a smile, and then, finally, laughter. That is how he is remembered. Everyone has their own “Matt” story, recounting the uncontrollable laughter you shared from some zany moments you had with him. Matt loved life and lived it boldly.
Kelley may tell you about the time when they were six and seven and she talked him into bringing the live rotating sprinkler from the front yard into the front foyer just to see how many rooms he can hit from one place. She the mastermind, he the executor.
One of my favorites is one I told at his eulogy. When he was five, he and Kelley were playing in the sandbox in the backyard with the kids in the neighborhood, and Matt had to go to the bathroom. To avoid wasting his time to go ALL the way into the house to use the bathroom, he decided to go to the side of the house. Looking out the window I caught a glimpse of this and ran out as fast as I could to stop him. He must have seen me coming because he started to run around the house in the opposite direction. So when I went to meet him on the other side I said sternly, “Matthew I hope I didn’t catch you peeing on the side of the house!” To which he looked up at me and replied, “Me too, Daddy.”
When he hopped on to ride a two-wheeled bike with no training wheels while just turning three we knew he would have extraordinary athletic abilities. He showed that prowess later with electrifying performances on the lacrosse field and the ice hockey rink and from the crowds he attracted at skateboard parks among other places.
