Matt & Kathy Schertz Medical Blitz!

Where there's still breath, there's hope… that is how it is with Matt, never without hope. Matt was born and raised in El Paso, Illinois. El Paso is a small farming community in central Illinois. It is a community that puts definition to the word community. El Paso is a community that joins together to rally for their own, and that's what Matt loved to do. But today, we (the community) are here on his behalf.  Matt grew up here, just north of town, on the family farm. He graduated in 1986 and went on to U of I to study Ag Sciences. After graduating Matt came back to El Paso, worked on the family farm and now lives in the house where his mom grew up. He worked on the family farm, and also at UPS for 21 years.


Out of his love for the farm life he grew a business. He started Schertz Cattle Company in 1993 and was insistent on raising hormone free beef fed by non genetically modified corn. "If it's not good for you, then it's not good for the cows either!" If you've ever had all naturally grown beef, you can understand why it was his passion. Be sure to honk when you drive by, they're still there. 


In 2009 Matt met the love of his life. They got married in the Smoky Mountains on a beautiful day in September of 2010. He and Kathy share the house with his stepsons Collin and Justin. Matt has embraced the opportunity to mentor to these 2 young men. Matt's kindness and love for the boys has been instrumental in showing them how people deserve to be treated. Matt was never afraid of hard work and his good work ethic showed the boys that if you wanted something, don't be afraid to work for it. He has shared his knowledge and life experiences with them in hopes that someday it will make things easier for them when they experience trials. He would do anything for his family and has been a steady provider and protector of the family.


Matt saw another opportunity to truly help people with a small company out of Dallas. He took a true love of the business philosophy and the leadership in Ambit Energy. That “little” company went on to become the fastest growing privately held company in America in 2010 and they continue to grow with the same goal they launched with. To be the finest and most respected retail energy provider in America. They've succeeded. Matt saw this “people helping people” business and was hooked. It was in his blood and still to this day, he's promoting his Ambit business. You might ask why he would be doing that? In Matt's words: "I was taken out of service from driving a semi for UPS, because I was diagnosed with Bulbar ALS. One thing that has been constant while I've been going through this was my Ambit income. Every month I still get my free energy credit and monthly residual income." Another reason he does it comes right from the top, from several leaders, several times it came, "God first, family second and your Ambit Energy business third." Leaders might say it, but the leadership at Ambit means it. Matt couldn't agree more, you just don't find that very often in the business climate today.


Matt was diagnosed with ALS (aka Lou Gehrig's disease) on June 19, 2015. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord for which there is no cure. Upon diagnosis, he was relieved of his position with UPS because of the unknowns involved with the progression of the disease. He continued to help with the family farm up through harvest this year.


Through the ups and down, the waxing and waning, Matt's affection for people still shines through. With a quick thumbs up and a grin, he's always willing to serve the next person in need. Here they are with friends “Fishing for a Cure”


Below, Matt and Kathy are pictured out in Washington DC at the ALS Advocacy Day event.


Fast forward to today... The ALS has been progressing to the point that Matt can no longer swallow or talk. He has to rely on tube feedings and a electronic touch device to communicate. He has since lost his health insurance as it was provided through his employment with UPS. Recently it has gotten bad enough that he hasn't got the balance and coordination that he used to and has been falling a lot. It was the falls that prompted another evaluation. At that evaluation, Matt and Kathy learned that he was in need of an electric wheel chair as it was becoming more and more dangerous to continue life as he was.


With the loss of his insurance and the extreme cost of medical care, there's just too much month left at the end of the money.


So today on behalf of Matt, Kathy and the boys, we are setting up this page to raise the funds necessary to secure a wheelchair accessible van and also to equip their house with a lift assist device and elevator in the garage so Kathy can help Matt get in and out of the house as needed. There are other expenses that will be up and coming that we aren't truly sure of costs yet and this will go towards that as well.


Any extra funds raised will go to ALS research. Thank you for your caring and compassion.