Matthew Pearson

My dearest Matthew, my brother. There are no words. It has been 4 years since I last saw you, & before this, it was okay. I understood that you were busy with basketball, but that made you happy & that was okay with me. Now, it saddens my heart because the next time I see you will be in Heaven. I was so privileged to have known you. I love you more than ever & I will miss you more than words can say. I am so blessed that you gave Grayson your beloved train set. We will be playing with it on your birthday, every year, just for you. I will cherish those tracks for the rest of my life. I love you Matthew. Rest in peace.

i spent 10 weeks with matt on a mission the summer of 2019. we worked on the same team & spent a lot of time together. one of my favorite memories was when we went out sharing & ended up just talking the whole time. he was someone i could be 100% honest with. i was able to visit madison a couple times in the fall to see him & other friends & was planning on spending more time with him when i move there next month (which was partially matt’s idea). i will miss matt dearly. i am so sorry for your loss & i will be praying for comfort during this time. -dani westrich

While everyone on the club basketball team is lucky enough to have memories with Matt, one moment stands out in my head. In my eyes, Matt was the most talented player on the team. I fully believe that he could have played on the actual basketball team on campus. With that said, it so often felt like he hardly needed to exert any effort when he was playing. He would glide through the lane and float into the basket without even breaking a sweat. However, there was one moment in a practice at the NAT where he fully sprinted like a maniac after a loose ball and I do not know if I have ever laughed harder. It truly was a sight to behold: arms churning, scowl on his face that had never appeared before, and legs flailing rapidly as he set his eyes on obtaining the basketball in the most meaningless of all meaningless pickup games. But that was Matt. The games we played without scoreboards and referees still meant everything to him because he genuinely loved the game and loved who he was playing it with. As I sat next to Tianen watching Matt in that moment, I knew that neither of us would ever forget it. An unforgettable moment of pure bliss provided by an unforgettable person. I love you, Matt.

We loved making your t-shirt quilt and being at your high school graduation party. I really enjoyed watching you play basketball and wish I would have been able to see you more often. Love, Aunt Bev

Sending our deepest sympathies to the entire Pearson family We are so fortunate to have been blessed with Matt and his beautiful soul and his generous sense of humor. We so enjoyed watching him play basketball through the years. Thank you for sharing him with us. Sending our love and thoughts to you all. The Nedelcoff family