I'll start this prayer request for Matt's wife and especially his grand dad that Matt called "POPS"!
I met Matt about 2 years ago when my brother called me and said "Hey Keith there is a fella the town just hired who knows a buddy of yours named Bill Shelhouse who mentored him while Matt was having an addiction problem and Bill got him into shooting a traditional bow.
Well next thing I knew I was on the phone with this Matt fella and we hit it off right away and Matt was raised very well by his grand dad and the help of a few mentors including Bill.
While on the phone Matt told me about a Martin dream catcher recurve he had stored away while in the military but it got put in the attic and that bow delaminated when he returned from service one day.
Well he mentioned he wanted to build a longbow and about that time there was a giveaway going on on Brandon Stahls site by Gary Shuler who was making a longbow with a set back and actually his first one.
Well I told Gary it was such a great gesture but not to include me cause I won a give away from Brandon for an Ace recurve but it was great that Gary was doing such a thing. Well Gary said to still enter my name in case I knew of someone that could use a bow and instantly I recalled Matt's situation and told him about Matt.
Well what ya know my name got picked as the winner and I asked Gary to have Matt's name put on it and a special scripture that Matt had tattoo on his arm.
Well here is a picture of Matt as I handed him the bow two years ago in my brothers shop. Matt has his name on his shirt and I am the Old Big fella if you ain't figured that out yet lol.
Now the Darkness of this whole thing is Matt was an addict and he tried getting help in different ways but just last week he was putting up Banners in the town he was fired and recently rehired in due to his addiction and wrecking the towns truck a few years ago.
Those banners were about drug addiction and be aware of how it creeps in every town.
Well one banner was found in Matt's vehicle that didn't get hung yet and Matt was found unresponsive last Thursday in his yard by his wife.
His service's are this Friday and he was 29 years old soon to be 30 in Oct.
My brother loved this guy like a son and would do things like buy him a fishing rod and put a note how much he was glad Matt was working with him again.
Matt was a hard worker , yes Mam and Yes Sir type of fella but satan tempted Matt daily .
Matt showed me video footage of him excepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and being submerged to show the world he loved and believed in Christ Jesus so I know satan chains on Matt are broken now and he is "Home"...I got to shoot with Matt one time in my back yard when he received Gary's longbow and he flung a few in the marsh and as he retrieved those arrows he said this was one of his best days in life even with the mud when he fell in from walking a branch that broke.
Rest in eternal peace Matt and I will miss you this side "BROTHER"!