Although Matt would be the first to tell you that he was nothing without Christ, he was quite a remarkable man with Christ. He left a lasting impact on the lives of possibly hundreds of people. And he left a legacy for others to follow in his footsteps.

Read some of the notes of encouragement and thanks written to Matt in the last year of his life—here in excerpts from the Caringbridge guestbook

You can view a video of Matt's memorial service here.

And below is a tribute written about him for the memorial service after his death. It is just a snapshot of a man who was treasured by more people than we can count.

Unforgettable

We don't really need a memorial service to remember Matt. He is, and always will be, unforgettable. His bounding stride and boundless wisdom. His smile, laughter, and love... all dished out in limitless amounts—just like the way he would fill a plate at the Chinese buffet. His legendary stories will stay with us. As well as his antics. And of course his joy. These things defined him. These and thousands more: The very-red sports-car. The collection of rubberized puke and other unmentionable pranks. His love for food and beach-front sunsets. The way he treasured Carina. The way he treasured our children. In our memories Matt is a comforting arm over our shoulder or a loving slap on the back. He's the face of one who was there on our best and worst day. One who never let go. He's the face of a shepherd forever in search of a single lost sheep. He's a hand stretched out to rescue, and feet made beautiful as they bring the Good News. Matt’s unconventional ways sometimes raised eyebrows, but they also opened doors. His unconditional love for young people made him a magnet for those who thought themselves worthless. His understanding made him an ambassador for their worth. Matt had more deep and meaningful relationships than seems reasonable for one man. He crammed more hours into a day than seems possible. His life on earth was fuller than a mere sixty-six years. Each of us will remember him for some of the lighthearted and heartwarming things that made Matt who he was. But some of us will remember him for far more—for some special time when he turned our life around. Or for the day he spoke courage to our heart. He once wrote to me saying that he liked to think of himself as an encourager; "because at its center," he said, "is found the word courage." We will not see Matt on this earth anymore. But neither will we be able to forget him. And as we laugh or offer up thanks at the random memories when they come, he would wish for us to be encouraged—to take courage. And perhaps, if we can, go after some of those lost sheep he didn't have enough time to reach—the ones who could rightly be called forgotten, but to Matt were unforgettable.

–Michael Delorenzo / August 28, 2008