Matthew was remembered as an incredibly bright, talented and patriotic man. He was a three-time AAU national champion in karate and a medic with the 101st Airborne with a knack for art. He was an extremely talented artist and no one will ever be able to know the extent to which that talent could've gone. He enlisted in the Army in April 2004 and was assigned to Fort Campbell. Both his parents are veterans of the 101st Airborne. It made his dad very proud that he actually wanted to be like him. Matthew grew up in Chula Vista, was known as "Doc" to his fellow soldiers and was engaged to be married. Days before he died, he asked his family to send him crayons so he could teach Iraqi children how to draw. Thanks to a campaign by John Holly after the death of his son, the U.S. government changed the way America's fallen troops are being brought back to their families. He was 21.

Matthew was remembered as an incredibly bright, talented and patriotic man. He was a three-time AAU national champion in karate and a medic with the 101st Airborne with a knack for art. He was an extremely talented artist and no one will ever be able to know the extent to which that talent could've gone. He enlisted in the Army in April 2004 and was assigned to Fort Campbell. Both his parents are veterans of the 101st Airborne. It made his dad very proud that he actually wanted to be like him. Matthew grew up in Chula Vista, was known as "Doc" to his fellow soldiers and was engaged to be married. Days before he died, he asked his family to send him crayons so he could teach Iraqi children how to draw. Thanks to a campaign by John Holly after the death of his son, the U.S. government changed the way America's fallen troops are being brought back to their families. He was 21.