Quiet, musically talented,
people pleaser, best friend.
“I really miss our talks,” said Matt’s mother Denise. “He was so wise, always giving logical, well thought-out answers.”
Matt grew up with his parents, Denise and Tim Williams, in a loving household, along with his twin brother Ryan and their younger sister Katie in Pasadena, Maryland.
As a middle-school student Matt began experiencing some anxiety and depression. He didn’t share it with his family at first.
Meanwhile, Matt excelled in music in school. He played the violin, clarinet, piano and guitar. He was in the school marching band, but his real love was his “garage band,” that he enjoyed with some school buddies.
He had lots of friends in school and shared his love of extreme sports with his twin brother, Ryan. He never made enemies, only friends.
After graduating high school in 2003, Matt went to work in his father’s shop as a welder and a machinist, but he also attended classes part-time at Anne Arundel Community College for about two years. He dreamed of becoming an architect.
Matt was very smart and an expert at answering trivia questions; often surprising his family and friends with his knowledge.
Matt’s life took a tragic turn after he was involved in a horrific car accident in 2007 when he was 22 years old. Matt endured seven surgeries following the accident and was introduced to opioids for the first time during that ordeal. He soon became addicted to opioids and attended the first of several 30-day rehab programs over the next eight years.
He managed to gain two years of sobriety during his years of addiction, but his twin brother’s death from a drug overdose in 2015 eventually took a toll on him. “He agonized over it,” Denise said.
Matt died three years and 20 days after his twin brother, Ryan.
Their mother, Denise, continues to operate her non-profit and donates time and money to help others fighting drug addiction. Funds also go toward purchasing and packaging personal care bags for Anne Arundel County Crisis Response Team.
She finds comfort in helping others.
Information for this profile was provided by Matt’s mother, Denise Williams.
APRIL 28, 1985 – FEB. 18, 2018
Age 32
He lived with addiction 11 years
