Help Support Matthew Bennett's Children

My heart is filled with grief to share that our brother Matthew sadly passed away at the age of only 39 from Stage 4 Lung and Brain Cancer. As a family, we are devastated at this loss given that we just lost our mother unexpectedly on May 5th, 2022.

Matthew was initially diagnosed in January 2021, but he faced his terminal diagnosis with hope and optimism for full and complete healing. Matthew worked so hard on his healing journey and was aided by the support and generosity of our community through his own GoFundMe campaign. He was always researching the newest treatments, diet & exercise to prolong his life. He even went to Colombia last August to try alternative therapies, but although these helped, cancer had weakened his hip and pelvis, causing his hip to shatter and requiring a major operation to put it back together in October 2022. Because Matt was always healthy, his cancer diagnosis was a shock to everyone, and his oncologist said that it most often occurs in people twice his age.

Tragically, he leaves behind his 3 young children Molly (12), Oscar (10), and Hunter (7). As you can imagine, this has devastated his children, our family, and the many loved ones who have supported him through this journey. We are heartbroken that his children have lost their father at such a young age and are now without his love, care, and support.

While visiting with them on his last day, Matthew said “ I love you” to his kids and they responded, “I love you more.” We are grateful that they were able to spend these final moments together and have these memories that they can carry with them forever.

Matthew was always beaming with positivity. Ever since receiving his unimaginable diagnosis, he has remained unfalteringly optimistic. Throughout his battle, he relentlessly researched and worked on his ‘protocols’ (his diet, exercise and treatment) with the hope that anything would extend his life and reverse his terrible condition. Even on his very last day with us, he was planning for the future when he would walk out of palliative care and return to his family and begin to work again.

Matthew’s main motivation for beating cancer were his children and he would share how he wanted to be there to watch his children’s milestones, like their high school graduation, and that became his goal in accessing all healing options available to him.

Before his diagnosis, Matthew lived a healthy and active lifestyle. His every spare moment was spent climbing a mountain, camping and fishing in the wilderness or traveling to enjoy every possible opportunity that life could offer him. He also built a successful foreign exchange risk management company using his unique, self-taught trading and forecast skills. As a child at 12 years old, many times while his friends were out playing, Matt would be at home paper-trading commodities to teach himself market strategy. He became a professional in the finance industry through years of relentlessly seeking out knowledge and world-renowned mentors who recognized his natural aptitude and were often happy to provide him with teaching and guidance free of charge.

I’m not sure why the best people can get dealt the worst tragedies, but this is not the first life-threatening crisis Matt has faced. At 16, Matthew was a passenger in a motor vehicle collision that required 5 life-saving surgeries (broken back, internal bleeding, removal of 1/3 of his intestines, tear in his aorta, treatment for staph infection post-surgery) and a recovery that took years and left his torso and back covered in scars. He spent his remaining high school years with residual pain and carrying a colostomy bag. Although this made many of his normal teen activities difficult, he never let any of that slow him down and he continued to remain as active as his body would allow. He faced all of this as a teenager with a bravery I can't even fathom.

He has always been our hero for how he faced pain and recovery with a warrior’s determination and kind positivity.

We are reaching out to our amazingly supportive community to ask for an actionable show of love to support his children and their mother through this exceptionally difficult time.

We are awed by the many people who have reached out asking what they can do to help. To be honest, this is one way in which your support, however great or small, can make a lasting impact on Matthew’s children’s lives who now find themselves without his support.

Those who knew him would attest that Matthew has always been a generous & giving person. He has always given of his time, talents and resources to those who needed them, not just for family and friends, but the community as well. He was a boy scout leader for years, coaching youth on respect for the earth and how to best enjoy nature. At 23, Matthew selflessly donated $40,000.00 of his own money to a local church to help support their efforts and to give back to the community. He has always been a generous, caring person who has supported those in need.

Tragically, Matthew did not have any life insurance and all of the family savings were depleted in the treatment he sought to save his life. This is why help is so very necessary for his children’s future.

One of Matt’s recent notes shows his incredibly inspirational optimistic spirit.

The following is in Matt’s own writings a few months before his passing:

‘You would not believe Some of the things people have said to me at this juncture’:

"Just Give up Matt, And ignore the progress there's nothing that can be done".

"It doesn’t matter what you do there are some things we cannot stop"

"Stop fighting, live your life".

"The progress is all in your head"

They got the last fact right, everything is All In The Mind!

None of these are options for me. I don't give up, back down, or give the enemy of my life any ground. I give the invaders an inhospitable environment, daily stress, starvation and steady fire-bombing. I don't let up on my efforts because they never will.

I have a lot to give to the world & my kids need me.

Reading some of Matt’s eternally positive last words above brings tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat. We are grateful for anything you can contribute to Matt’s legacy and his children’s future and extend the hope of support for his children to all of those who can help.