Lost another family member to Big Pharma last Monday
My nephew that was living with me was found deceased on our couch last Monday while we were out of town.
I took my nephew in when he was younger around 2011, about a year after his mom passed away, he had been fighting addiction 2 years since my sister passed away in 2010.
Matthew Aaron Dexter
I'm trying not to be so angry and upset & just focus on the good memories we had.
Matt was more like a son to me and I wrote this eulogy for his Celebration of Life coming up in October.
We are the misfits, rebels, underdogs, the ones that create music, art & poetry.
We are the ones that cannot fit into a mold.
Very rarely have I seen the Pheonix Rise, but I definitely saw it in Matt.
Matthew Aaron Dexter was born on August 9th, 1984
He passed peacefully in his sleep at our home in Lehi on September 23rd ,2024.
He was the son of Michelle & Richard Gibson, the brother of Nathan Dexter.
In the last few years; Matt really got his life together; he lived up to his words.
'be nicer to people than they expect to be treated' # Be Kind the only time he didn't live up to that is when he wanted to gladly pay you Tuesday for a Cheeseburger today!
Clint & I got a second chance with our physiological son /Adopted son 💙
Clint & I tried our hardest to take care of Michelle's boys after she joined our loved ones in Heaven.
We kept that promise to her; we did the best we could.
I'm so proud of Matty D for becoming his best self. 'Breaking the Cycle' Is how I like to put it!
Matt & I went to see movies all the time.
He loved the movie 'Lemmony Snickets - a series of unfortunate events'.
Our favorite lesson from that movie was
'ITS NOT WHAT WE'RE DEALT; ITS HOW WE DEAL'.
Matty D & I would have deep conversions all of the time, Also we didn't even have to talk much... His crazy was similar to my crazy, he liked making up the silliest phrases ... Always trying to come up with new band names for fun.
Like TADS.
If you don't know what that stands for ask me after the service.
His acronyms were hilarious. He always LOVED making others laugh.
Matt wasn't just my nephew, he felt more like my little brother. Matt would try and get my attention any way he could; whether being annoying or otherwise.
Matt learned a lot in his last few years & tried to help his little brother Nate; he always looked after Nater. My kids remind me of that bond everyday!
Matt had a good childhood as well as a hard one, but despite all that; he always tried to make the best of it.
He knew the downside of up & everything in-between; so much so that he didn't want others to ever feel that way. This is why he would try to cheer everyone up with his crazy random questions & sayings such as:
'Have you ever done backflips in your underwear; WHILE DANCING WITH NINJAS in the pale moonlight?'
Another one was;
'John Denver called & he wants his 'Rocky Mountain High back'.
Matt was very creative & one of the best Bassists around. Often compared to Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Matt was so talented that he taught himself by ear how to play bass. He was in quite a few bands too like....
Regicide
Elementree
Sorset
VoxCarnage
Giving up the Ghost
G.O.D. awful
And more bands with friends to just jam.
His love for music was incendiary!
There's so many more amazing memories that I didn't mention.
I'll finish with this .. I now know what it's like to lose a son - it's is the worst pain I've felt thus far. I know that Matt would have wanted us to be happy and celebrate his life; we're trying Matt!
He often would tell us how much he loved his friends & how much they meant to him.
David & Tiffany Bizek-Miller, Brian Waite & Kendel Matthews.
Devon, James Corrum & Ryan Hewitt, so many more friends that it would take all day to mention.
MATT...everytime I eat Pancakes; I have to call them Panny - Cakes because of you.
He was always asking Aunty Becky to make PANNY- CAKES
- EMPHASIS ON THE N. If not it sounds like something else.
Like Landon said at my mom's service about her.
There are certain people that 'Show Up'.
Matt was definitely one of them.
Kiss & hug Grandma, grandpa's, you're mom & Nater for me... until we meet again!
Oh yeah, Clint said to say hi to John Denver for me!
Deepest condolences to you.
I am sorry for your loss. I am also sorry for the tragedies you seem to have been through. You will be in my thoughts. 🙏🙏💔