RICHMOND HILL, GA, US
U.S. Marine Corps
CAPT, VMGR-152, MAG-36, 1ST MAW, OKINAWA, JAPAN
09/14/2007, SHPEE VALLEY, KAPISA, AFGHANISTAN
It’s difficult to capture Matt Freeman in words, and I am not sure I can even begin to do him justice. To know him was to instantly like him. He was one of those dynamic, charismatic people who lit up a room, someone everyone knew, but who also knew everyone in turn. He was so unique in that he had absolutely everything going for him—brains, looks, charm, and all kinds of talent, and though it would have been easy for him to let that go completely to his head, he always remained grounded and sincere—something that can probably be attributed to his relationship with his awesome family, whom he obviously adored. He was one of my closest friends throughout high school—in fact, many of my memories of high school are memories with Matt, and to be completely cliché, you could not have asked for a better friend. He was fiercely loyal, extremely trusting and trustworthy, and when he listened, he had this great ability to make you feel like you were the most important person in the world. Even though it had been awhile since we talked, and longer since we had seen one another, I always felt like Matt was close, like we could pick up where we left off in a second. He was just one of those people who would (will) always be important in my life, and I am positive that I am one of many who feel this way.
I think what really set Matt apart was his complete enthusiasm for life. He put his heart into everything he did, whether it was academics, drama, chorus, band, tennis, friendships, or his career. He sincerely wanted to be good at everything, and his combination of talent and hard work eventually turned him into the Renaissance man he would joke about being in high school. Throughout it all, he retained his great sense of subtly self-deprecating humor, and spending time with him was always, well, fun.
I could probably take up pages with memories and examples of what a genuinely good person Matt was. I believe the world and the lives he touched are better for him being here, and it’s a lesser place without him. He will always be loved and missed by more people that I think he could have ever known.
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