Too young to die
Matt was described as having a very rough life, but also with the determination to change his life into the best it could be. He had the desire to make the lives of his friends and family easier too by helping them in any way he could, whether it be a ride to the airport, taking time to listen to them, or making them smile.
From a young age, Matt had an interest in cars, especially hot rods. He was very proud when he purchased his first car from his brother-in-law and customized it exactly as he wanted. He also naturally understood technology and was happy to use his expertise to help others solve their cell phone and computer issues. His sister said: “he could figure out how to bypass anything!’
Matt was all about family time, often cooking or inviting family over to cook with him and attending every family gathering, where he “lit up the room” with his smile. His biggest accomplishment in life was his son, Jace. The day he found out he was going to be a father was one of the happiest of his life. Matt loved and supported his fiancé Elizabeth, and wanted to provide a good childhood for Jace. Matt was also very close to his best friend Brandon and would have been delighted to know that Brandon’s son was born on Matt’s birthday.
Matt’s two main goals in life were to make sure that Jace was well taken care of and to eventually work for Google as a software technician. His career plans were never realized as his substance use took over. His sister, Sandi, said that the most difficult thing about living around someone with a substance use disorder is trusting them and worrying about what might happen next. She said, “there are always regrets when someone you love dies so young and things you might do differently if you had more information at the time, but you have to know you did your best.”
Matt’s sister, Sandi Moore, provided the information for this narrative.
December 1, 1997 -January 5, 2018
Age 20 – Lived with addiction 2 years
