Written by Saphara Harrell, contributing reporter

Students gathered at Coxwell Amphitheatre Sept. 25 to honor the memory of former Kappa Alpha Matthew Matson, who died Sept.14 at the age of 20 in his hometown of Rockledge, FL.

Ricky Stewart, Matson’s KA big brother, organized the event and helped welcome everyone.

Stewart said the pair met in the summer of 2011, and Stewart knew he wanted Matson to rush the moment he met him. He said Matson and his fellow brothers bonded over spending time outdoors, whether they were fishing, hunting or surfing.

“[Matson was] the closest thing I had to a brother. We couldn’t have been closer if we were blood,” Stewart said.

Stewart said Matson was a source of happiness for everyone in his life.
“He never let anything get to him,” Stewart said.

Chandler Craft, Matson’s KA brother, said Matson had all the values of a Kappa Alpha brother, and everyone recognized his positivity.

Beth Palmer, a close friend of Matson’s, described Matson as fun-loving and carefree. She said the event was to honor him the best they could and the memorial helped provide closure for many of his friends and family.

After the vigil, close friends and family held a prayer, thanking God for all the memories they were able to have with Matson.

Matson was not a UNF student at the time of his death.

Email Saphara Harrell at reporter30@unfspinnaker.com