Page 4 - April 2017

in our Class A’s I would always feel like a chump that is unbreakable. If we weren’t already married, we
compared to you. All the ribbons and pins on your were getting engaged, if we didn’t have kids we were
uniform represented the accomplishments you made about to have our first or going for our second or third.
during your life. Not only were you a Trooper and War We celebrated together, and we grieved together when
Veteran but you were a firearms instructor for the Air times were tough. Eventually, we looked forward to
Force and you took pride in everything you did. You the days we had to work more than our days off. When
loved being a Trooper and canting your cover so that it was time to work, it was our time to spend with
you could hardly see your eyes. There are work stories buddies. We loved backing each other up, we loved
that will remain “Trooper only” stories but there are going to crazy calls and talking about it afterwards,
many stories that I will tell whenever I have the chance all in all we just loved spending time together.
to. You, driving out every morning to the French King
Bridge at 0530 when no one wanted to do anything, When we weren’t with each other we were talking on
you unknowingly mailing another cop a ticket for a bad our group text. This group text started in Athol and
inspection sticker, making case law from some lunatic, is still going today. Within this group text Matt would
and one of my favorites… the “1C to 506, breakdown always make us laugh. He would also love talking
lane now” story. He freaked out for weeks after that about Christine or his dog or his new house. I actually
thinking he was going to get launched to the NY border. remember the first time Matt came back from meeting
Christine and he was ecstatic. When I asked him how
All together there were seven of us at Athol that did it went he said, “dude she’s definitely wife material.” A
everything together; we told our war stories, we little while later, he was engaged and getting married to
complained about whatever it was that was bothering the girl of his dreams. They got a dog and bought a house
us that day, we made fun of each other, we tried to and Matt was continually spreading his infectious smile
scare the crap out of each other, we went to Pats games to others. Even before he got married he would always
together; one game Matt lost his ticket and had to sneak tell me that Christine made him a better person and she
in. The next day he found the ticket in his boot. This made him grow up, and he loved it. Matt loved his family
group of guys that once cringed at the assignment of and friends; that is what gave him joy. He enjoyed the
working in Athol now takes pride in the fact that we little things in life, the things that some people don’t
worked there and we formed this special brotherhood think twice about.

F r en c h·a n d·E le c t r ic·B l ue·A p r i l·2017·p a g e·4