I imagine that the day each person heard the news was not unlike the day Kennedy was shot. You remember exactly where you were. You remember exactly what you were doing. You remember exactly how you felt.
People say that cancer doesn't discriminate. Good people, bad people, older or younger. If ever there were a case for that argument, this was it.
Matthew McSheffrey.
The class goof.
The one who'd do anything, anytime to get a laugh out of us.
The small, warm center you couldn't help but gravitate towards.
The most spirited kid in the world discovered that, at the age of 20, he had leukemia.
Living in Calgary at the time, the native of my hometown decided that, after a few days of being sick, he needed to see a doctor. Marilyn told me that after she arrived at the hospital in Calgary at 2:00am, from the earliest flight she could get from Ottawa, the doctors and nurses had nothing but praise for Matt and how stouthearted and polite he'd been. She said they had already had a bed set up for her, and that Matt was asleep when she arrived. If there was anything that showed what kind of person Matt was, it was showcased perfectly in the first words he said when he woke up to his mother:
"I'm hungry."
Marilyn told me that the 8 months he was sick were the best 8 months she'd ever had with Matt and her other two sons, Steven and Daniel. She said that Matt never faltered in staying strong, that he saw through every day with a smile and with seemingly impossible positivity (and brownie bites, of course), straight through to the end. And on April 27th, 2009, the world said a reluctant and painful goodbye to a friend, a nephew, a grandson, and brother, a son.
But if anyone really knew Matt, they'd know that he'd want us to look back not in sadness for our loss, but in celebration for the time we were given with him. And though it was cut short, these memories are the gifts he left us with, and we should cherish these memories forever.
We're left with the memories of his contagious smile, his infectious laugh, his endless antics from public school up until high school (licking poles in the dead of winter; running tape across the road; eating whatever we dared him to eat; egging houses; chipping his brand new tooth the day he got it, and then walking around like Lloyd Christmas for god only knows how long.) The life of the party. The cause of the laughter. And though his physical self is no longer walking among us, his heart and soul will never leave us. He will never be forgotten.
Rest in peace, Matthew "McDick" McSheffrey.
We will love and miss you always.
p.s. Make those Habs take the cup for us this year, will ya?
I'll close this blog with a beautiful poem written by Matty's mother.
And We Remember Still
On angels wings you left us
A year ago today,
You sang your song
You ran your race
You had no fear,
you ran on faith.
You left us with such grace.
and we remember still
What we would do
To have you back
And hold you once again.
But every day we see your face;
And in our hearts you sing.
You ran your race with pride and grace
and we remember still
We held you in our loving arms
You hold on us your wings.
Your soaring with the eagles now
Your in his arms again.
The final race it was so rough
a tear you wouldn’t cry
You didn’t want your mom to hurt
The day you said good bye.
In McSheff style you went outside
To rest out in the sun,
your smile it shone., and in God’s grace,
You said the time had come.
and we remember still
No words can take the hurt away
Nor drinks would kill the pain;
The only thing we know for sure
Is that He called your name.
We miss you more than life itself
And we don’t understand.
But as you wished we do out best
show up and smile again.
and we remember still
You touched the lives of many
You built our strength within.
You taught us not to run and hide,
but smile and worry nil.
You chased your dreams with courage,
were kind to all your kin;
You lived your life with love and hope
And gratitude within.
and we remember still
Your smiles will never leave us
Your crazy antics win;
We loved you from beginning
until that bitter end.
You were the finest brother
the friend beside all friends;
The son who left too early,
a whisper in the wind.
and we remember still
And so we’re left with memories
Of hockey - sleepless nights;
From Calgary to quarry times
And parties till the end.
Your clubs they by the front door sit
can’t bear to let them go.
We wait with hope and heavy hearts
The rain in time will slow.
We know you’re up there somewhere
in time we’ll have our fun;
We’ll see you on the other side
And play a round my son.
and we remember still
We go to see you often
On the other side of town;
We know your’re not there really
Where your brothers laid you’d down.
Some days we’re not quite ready
To say good bye old friend
and So we leave you and in time’
and we remember still
The days are passing sooner now
the nights they aren’t so long;
The tears don’t flow so quickly
Your smiles to carry on
Your in our hearts forever
You’ll always be our song.
It’s been a year since you’ve been gone
And we last saw your face;
But every night we close our eyes
and feel your peace and grace.
and we remember still
The cards were dealt, we didn’t win
It’s not ours to question why.
We’ve learnt through time
We won’t forget Your laugh and silly grin.
You’re living deep with in us
Where the eagles soar on high,
We’ll do our best to fly with you
Until we meet again;
We’ll see you on the other side;
Good night sweet boy, our friend.
and we remember still
Always remembered, always loved.
I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always,
I’ll carry you with me, wherever you be,
As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.
Love you this much and more
Love U, Love Me
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