Matthew Thomas had a saying ‘Life is a Beautiful Struggle’ and for him it was a struggle but he gave it his all.

Tragically on 15th August 2014 at the age of 25 the life of our precious son Matthew was cut short. Our lives will never to be the same again.

Matthew was a happy, bright young lad with an exceptional sporting ability.  He was very popular and had many friends, he was always out and about playing, riding his bike, playing footy in the garden anything rather than homework!

Although he was diagnosed with chronic brittle asthma at a very young age he did not let it stop him having a go at all the things he wanted to do and enjoyed a happy busy childhood, was a doting brother to his little sister Rhiannon, and as with most brothers he found her a pain at times as she could not play footy and was always just too young to be allowed out with him to ride his bike and by the time she was old enough, it was not cool to have your little sister in tow! Didn’t stop his sister trying though! Matthew knew he was a lucky boy to have a little sister who was so adoring and happy to sit and listen to him playing his music in his bedroom. He adored his sister and she adored him.

Matthew loved Football, from an early age it was his passion and every waking hour he could he spent playing football. He joined a football club at an early age and just lived for club mornings and evenings. During his early years and teens his asthma condition was sufficiently managed to allow him to play football at top club and Interleague level between his numerous in-stay hospital visits. However, over the years the asthma attacks damaged his lungs to the point where he would suffer life-threatening attacks on a regular basis and spend periods of time in hospital undergoing treatment to help him get well enough to be released until the next episode, this resulted in him not being able to play his beloved football and other sports as slowly his health declined. He moved his passion to Drum and Bass and became a well known D&B DJ, he loved this as much if not more than football.

He met his partner Dani and they had a beautiful daughter Summer who was the apple of Matthew’s eye. She is so like him and reminds us every day of him.

Three years before his passing his illness became more unstable to the point where he was unable to continue his job, this combined with his inability to take part in the sporting activities he loved, not being able to do as much Drum and base DJ’ing as he would have liked had an understandably profound negative effect on him.  Over a period of years he spent considerable time going for bi-weekly treatment at The Royal Brampton Hospital for lung disease in London. He was at this time about to start assessment with a view to undergoing lung surgery which might or might not have given him a better quality of life. The treatment was considered radical and the outcome was not certain, although for him, was certainly worth the risk.

A couple of weekends before Matthew’s funeral, friends and family met on the village green and set off Red balloons; with friends across the world setting off their individual balloons concurrently. This moving and amazing spectacle was enjoyed by all including his 4year old daughter Summer who sent her balloon and message ‘direct’ to Daddy who is now the brightest star in the sky.

We were overwhelmed that over 300 people supported us and came to say goodbye to Matthew at his funeral and are comforted by the fact that Matthew had so many friends and family who loved him. Matthews funeral was a little different ! so I am sure he was looking down on his last party with a smile.

It had been Matthews wish that when he was well enough he could take Summer to Euro Disney; on this same night Matthew’s friends set about and succeeded in raising funds to buy the weekend trip; There is no doubt that the Brightest Star in the sky was watching down on them when Matthew’s sister Rhiannon, Summer and Dani went on the trip to Disneyland Paris, Summer said ‘daddy is the brightest star in the sky so he was watching us have fun’.

Our daughter Rhiannon has been amazing and our granddaughter Summer is a constant reminder of all the qualities her daddy had.

We were put in touch with ‘You Raise Me Up’ I spoke to Jane who just seemed to understand and through the charity we were able to give Matthew an amazing send off. We will forever be grateful for their support, we can never thank them enough for this and for the continued support.