For Matt

[Hank Scorpio]

I know this is probably the 10th post about this, but I think for everyone who lives ... well never leaves their room this is about the only way we can pass a message along. So, in hopes, everyone leave a message and hopefully we can print this and mail it to Matts family.

~Matt,

Even though I never really expressed it often enough, I considered you a true friend... even when you asked me something I just had explained, your one of the few people that for some reason, I didn't mind that from. Sorry for the lectures, and the joking around, I hope you knew it was all in good fun. Were going to miss you, including my girl friend who always ask's how I can possibly talk to for so long online.

I guess its just going to get boring here with out you, thats the saddest part.

Hope you found that 200+ horse power n/a monster in heaven,

Your bud,

Doug

[linuxman51]

Hm. no one has yet added their thoughts, so i'll post whats going through my mind right now about all this.

You don't know what a true benefit someone is until they're gone. All the fun, jokes, poking, etc makes it really easy to take things for granted, and thats kinda the way it was with Matt. We all joked about it, about his trip and all, but deep down inside, we all (well at least I did) thought he was going to have the best summer out of all of us. What a complete shot out of the dark. At any rate, Matt, it was all in good fun, we all had some great times, and you're always welcome on my volvo mis-adventures.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones, and to everyone on this board he touched (which is pretty much everyone).

You will be missed

[JamesDean]

you know, i never really talked with matt, except for one causal conversation on this very board.. it was about how flat Plano was, and how he would love to live in a place that actually had twisting roads...

you know, im going to miss his humour and all of his posts..

tragic....

Jimmy

I didn't know him for very long, but he was great to talk to. I was hoping he could make it to NED and we could duel for the title of "Slowest Volvo on T-Bricks." I saw in him a lot of what I was like 10yrs ago. I pray he is in a better place now, looking down on us from the driver's seat of a Quad-Turbo V16 242GT and laughing at our pathetic, sub-1000 HP motors. Godspeed, Matt.

[Magnum TE]

I first started conversing with Matt back when he did his first enem cam group buy. I was always waffling whether I would shell out the money and get a cam- some of you know what a cheep bastard I am- just look over my wanted posts. He was so good natured about it, never got pissed off at me for changing my mind over and over again. I knew that he was a good guy that loved his Volvo, he worked very hard on those group buys.

As I got to know him more he told me that he was studying to be an electronic engineer, I couldn't believe it... I am studying to be an EE also. We talked a lot about circuit theory and applications that we could use in our Volvos. It is amazing the type of personal friendship one can make online.

What I remember most about Matt was, when he was online he always had time to help me out with my brick. He would always admit to me if he didn't know enough to help me, and he never gave me bad advice. He was so good-natured about everything, even when I waffled about getting a cam on the SECOND group buy.

With kindness and goodwill my thoughts go out to Matt's family and loved ones. Our community will miss him terribly.

Toby Eidelman
Santa Rosa, CA

[isaac]

Matt, I've known you since the Kalazdar days. I never really bothered asking what that name meant...I guess its because you were just Matt to me. You were really that simple; just a real, truthful, honest, sincere guy.

You had an awful lot of energy and could really talk my head off. I remember you highjacking me from my bed a few times to get me on the computer and you were just gushing away about your next big step on the GT, or listening intently about my Volvo exploits. We could go on for hours about all sorts of stuff because you'd always be really interested in anything I had to say. I remember sometimes I had to tell you like 10 times that I needed to sleep before you went along with it. You really are a nice guy, and you've always wanted to learn more and help more and do more with you Volvo brothers.

I remember not really understanding how you could call the GT fast, but you were always so into the thing, telling us about how much fun it was to drive, that I started wanting one too. You just loved that car so much that I couldn't help but feel the love.

Well the place is gonna be less interesting without you man. You weren't just here, you were what this place was. As a self proclaimed 'post whore' I think you'd like to know that you single-handedly brought the most people together in TB chat last night, and yeah we were all talking about you and your car. You'd be amazed by how many memories you left here...at least a few lifetimes worth. You've got an awful lot of friends here man, and a lot who'll be carrying on your spirit. We'll do our part if you do yours.

You'll be with us always since your help has changed all of us. We can't ignore that you're gone, but what you've helped us with we keep with us, and pass on to others, so guess what? 10 years from now it's still really gonna be you posting on here. Volvo for life? You're TB for life now man. There's no avoiding it, not that you would want to. Part of you is stuck here forever, and I've got a feeling you'd like that.

Of course you did get to finally leave Texas, which you were really itchin to do. I'm sure Tennessee was beautiful too. I drove through there on a cross country trip too once. The mountains and trees overlooking lakes below...it really is spectacular. Lucky you, you got to see it at sunrise. It must have been fantastic stuff. Kinda like heaven really, which I'm sure is where you are now. When you think about it, there really is no other place for a guy like you. Lets hope you got your wish list up there: a bunch of shiny new tools, megasquirt system, turbo to bolt onto that GT (c'mon you know you want one), and an even more insane suspension than you had. Good luck surprising guys like Alberto Ascari, Colin Chapman, and Ayrton Senna up there. I suggest you race them for pinks. Who'da thought a Volvo could take an F1 car? Hey thats why it's heaven right? Take care man. We'll be missing you until we meet again.

Isaac

[Hank Scorpio]

"Doug: Matt, I really got to go to bed man, Im beat
Matt: Oh before you go...."

ten minutes later
"Doug: Ok I really have to go now
Matt: cool.. WAIT ...."

lol... man Im going to miss that

[rancidponymilk]

Even thought I didnt realy know him, I still find it very sad that he's gone. I will miss him.

[riceeating780]

Matt D. I called him. What a kid. he was funny and all that. I couldn't understand why he never got back to me on our plans. I cma eonline and found this out. I have been going through finals in college and all trhough my finals I just think about Matt and how unfortunate this is. It just points out the fact that anyone of us can be hit by some kids and get injured or worse. Please be careful guys. I am pretty ne to this board but I fele as if this is a family so far and losing a family member hurts. we are one big volvo family so I hope that now we can only be closer. I am not confortable talking about death so I am maybe not making any sense. " I'll see you when I get there, If I ever get there."

[BoxDriver2]

Matt, I spoke with you every now and then. Always on a high note at that. I was looking forward to your trip! I was reading it for the first time last night, then I stumbled upon what happened. This will never be forgotten by anyone as I am sure you know. Directly or indirectly, you have affected us all in a way. It is all about the small things that make a difference, one message, one post, or one word.

Turbobricks and the volvo community never really knew what it had until it was gone so to speak, and now we know. You will be missed my friend. You have moved on to a place we will all reach someday, sometime. I wish we spoke more often, no one expected this. God bless.

[I can only wish Matt's family the best in dealing with this terrible loss.]

Daniel Barcutian

[tequila_gundam_no_chaser]

Matt. What can I say. Man, I knew you however briefly, but you were a great guy. The times that we talked online, the advice you gave, the laughs we shared will never be forgotten. We all know your in that great big garage up there, building up the best turbo GT ever. Look down upon us, we'll keep building em up and tearing em down if you do the same. You'll be sorely missed man.

All the brick bretheren send our deepest condolences to the family. Even though our friendship may have been over something as trivial as the brand of transportation we drove, we were all a big family. To the Dionne family, we cannot begin to understand the loss that you must be experiencing, but we send our sympathy. Matt's magnetic personality and wonderful spirit brought him a large extra family online. We all send our love and prayers to him and the family he left behind.

Mark Atchison

[945ti]

Kinda OT, but would someone be interested in hosting his website and Pbase account somewhere? Here's his website:
http://www.geocities.com/kalazdar/242GT/mainframe.htm
And here is his Pbase acount deal:
http://www.pbase.com/kalazdar/root
In any case, matt provided good info, and if possible someone, or maybe T-bricks should put this stuff under the main site. This is not good, but some of this stuff should be saved I think, before we forget.

[own6volvos]

Matt, you know you were there for any problems that I had with Bricks or other "normal" things :wink: I don't think there will be anyone that could ever replace what you have done for me. you will always be in my heart, and be greatly missed.

Kevin Elliot O'Brien

p.s. matt... my mech says the 79 is a 242... so once I get it in a moth or so.. I will try to build it up like we always talked about.

[riceeating780]

I will host for MAtt. Anything for Matty D. Matty P. and Matty D. back in action again. du du du daaaaaaa, super Mathia. That is just an insdie joke to mylsef for Matt. I alwyas referred to him as Matt D. or Matty D. We had the same name so it was like an inside joke. anway I will host his site

[riceeating780]

by the way guys. I think Matt's running 10's in the 1/4 in is volvo right now.

[gtlover]

Matt,
You know that even though I sold my GT, I still think that 242GTs are Da Bomb. In you I found somebody who was even more GT obsessed than me, somebody who would actually build the sick NA motors we'd think up.
Every time I thought I was fast, you were faster. Every time I thought I was saying something inane, you'd out-do me. You had the Volvo I wished I had from the beginning, and you were taking the road trip I wished I had the time to do. Even to the end, you still knew what was really important - taking time for family and friends. I am glad to have known you, even if I only knew you through emails and posts.

See you on the other side

[riceeating780]

sad month for me and my family. After hearing matt has passed on I told my mother and she is very touched by Matt being so young then she proceeds to tell me that a family has died. On his way to work he had a heart attack. Then when his wife was driving to claim teh body she was so upset she had a heart attack but she is stabilized at teh hospital. Whata month. I saw a clean 242 gt an hour away from me just sitting inthe driveway.

[Overboosted745]

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~mckennar/videos/for_matt1.jpg

Left to Right:
Ryan, Jon, Alex

Our own small tribute, photographed by Alex's Dad with his digital camera. The pics I put in the "showroom" forum were a sort of drive to remember run we took down scenic Rte. 1 etc, ending up at Alex's place.

It would be nice if someone could pass this pic on to whomever is collecting pictures for the family.

It would also be nice if people around here followed suit. It would help put names to faces, as well as cars, and kind of bring everyone together in my opinion.

Not sure if this warrants its own new thread or not...? If so, I'll start one, or Alex will, or maybe Dana et. al. could start one up somewhere?

I would have liked to write this post with Jon and Alex present, but as of the writing of this letter I cant get in touch with either of them.

Take care guys

Ryan

[Lord_Athlon]

Even though im new to these boards, I will miss matt dearly. I have been reading these boards, and It is a shame to see him go. Im dealing with a loss of both him, and my mother (she has cervical + pancreal cancer), and I know that she feels about drumming the way he felt about his GT, and the only words I can say are that at least he went doing something he had always wanted to do, and loved. Next time any of us do anything to your volvo's, may we think of him. I know I am when I do my engine swap and buildup this summer...and im doing it in his honor. It is the least I can do. Enjoying one of his pastimes, and carrying on. May you and your volvo cruise and tear up the alps in heaven. I will miss getting the chance to meet you, and talk.

[240T man]

Well, Matt, I made it. Here I am in Florence living with my grandparents and soon to have a job. If any one person ever encouraged me how to get on with life in spite of the crappiest crap, it was you. My trip went wonderfully and I wish so much that yours could've gone the same way. I never got to see "THE PAINTLESS WONDER" but screw that now...when I get up there, I'll see that GT you dreamed of, and I know that, had you not been cut short down here, would've had eventually. Nice, shiny GT silver paint, complete with the GT stripes, and not a scratch or blemish on it. Not to mention the 10-sec timeslip. Not to forget your 990/1000w Cibies, 1500w Cibie driving lights, and 900w Cibie foglights.

Until then, I'm stuck with the 16 second timeslip and 55/65w sealed beams, but hey, I know you would've wanted me to make the best of it, so that's what I'll sure as hell do. See you up there someday man...until then, you bet I'll make my brick as fast and as cool as I can while I'm still down here.

Oh yeah, one last thing...your name is still, yes, still on my AIM list...and mark my words...it's there to stay.

Later, man.