Matthew was born on 12/05/1990 a beautiful perfect son. His name Matthew means Gift from the Lord and he truly was. When he was three and a half years old he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor on his brain stem. He was given a 25% chance of survival. Through radiation and chemo Matthew fought to survive. His goal was to run with the other kids, which he achieved. His brain became infected from a shunt and he was in the hospital for 70 days. When he came home he was in a wheelchair with a feeding tube. Although he survived the treatments, they caused learning disabilities and health problems. Matthew was not rich, but if he knew you liked someone he would make it. His favorite things were the flag, sunflowers, chicken (fingers also) and giraffes. Everyone who knew Matthew had a beaded necklace or key chain.
Matthew started preschool at CAIU and went to school till the day he died. A year after surgery he began having seizures. After the first seizure he told he about his Angels. He said how when they were operating the year before on the tumor he went above the operating table with his two Angels and saw the doctors working on him face down. The Angels asked him what he wanted to do and he said “go to Mommy’s house”. He said they “flew” to our home and around inside and he asked where his Mommy was. The Angels told him I was at Hershey waiting on him. So they flew back and the Angels said they were going back to Jesus but he had to go back to Mommy. I knew from that day he was never alone because he has Jesus and his Angels around him.
The chaplain who called us after Matthew passed said the operating room felt holy and sacred. As hard as it is to go on without Matthew I know he is up in Heaven with Jesus and his Angels. He touched so many people’s lives. People have shared their memories with me and as a mother it touched my heart. The last thing Matthew did was give his organs so others could life. That was Matthew!