In Memory of Matt Wingo

On January 29th, Matt Wingo had emergency open heart surgery from an aneurysm in his heart.  Through a stroke, losing feeling on his left side, an aortic dissection and valve replacement surgery, Matt was given a 20% chance but survived.  He eventually shed his breathing tube and began to regain feeling, showing incredible toughness and an unmatched stamina. We were told this would be a challenging journey, but Matt was emotional and funny throughout.  He often was reminding others to act fast if something happened to them, so was selfless even during his darkest, last days.
 
He was a fighter and even began to walk just a few days ago, starting to recover at Kessler Rehab.  Throughout his many complications, doctors alike commented on what a miracle his last stage of life was. On February 24th, he collapsed and was rushed to Morristown due to a blood clot around his heart, a complication that arose from his surgery.  Another surgery was planned for February 25th, but before that was able to happen, he passed away with the love of his life Sue, by his side.

 Matt made such a “lasting impression” on the doctors and nurses that cared for him because of his strength, humor, perseverance and determination to get better for his family, Sue & the kids, who meant the world to Matt. In the hours following his passing, news spread around the hospital and they all flooded upstairs to give Matt’s family hugs and show their love. 

Had he been able to fight one more fight through the surgery, Matt would likely have suffered increased neurological damage, so his passing is sad but may have saved some eventual pain. Now, as we begin to move forward, we are planning a small, private memorial, so appreciate that you keep both he, Sue, and their families in your thoughts and prayers.  We never let a tragedy define someone’s life, Matt was an extraordinary but private person.  We are raising money to support Matt’s final medical and funeral bills.  We ask for your support so that we can honor Matt’s memory.