A MOTHER
REMEMBERS
In order to fully understand the reality of
who Matthew Shepard was, I present some things his mother said about him.
She offers us a view as only a mother could, but she speaks to our hearts
as we remember that he could have easily been our son, our brother, our
nephew, or our grandson.
"Matthew is a very special person, and
everyone can learn important lessons from his life. All of us who know Matthew
see him as he is, a very kind and gentle soul. He is a strong believer in
humanity and human rights. He is a trusting person who takes everybody at
face value and he does not see the bad side of anyone."
"His one intolerance is when people don't
accept others as they are. He has always strongly felt that all people are
the same - regardless of their sexual preference, race or religion."
\"We know he believes that all of us are
part of the same family called Humanity, and each and everyone of us should
treat all people with respect and dignity, and that each of us has the right
to live a full and rewarding life. That is one lesson which we are very
sure he would share with you if he could."
"Matthew also feels strongly about family.
He is a loving son, brother, and grandson who has made our own lives much
richer and fuller than what we would have experienced without him"
"Matthew's life has often been a struggle
in one way or another. He was born prematurely, and he struggled to survive
as an infant. He is physically short in stature but we believe he is a giant
when it comes to respecting the worth of others. We know that he thinks
if he can make one person's life better in this world, then he has succeeded.
That is a measure of success which Matthew has always pursued."
"The family is grateful that they did not
have to make a decision regarding whether or not to continue life support
for Matthew. Like a good son, he was caring to the end and removed guilt
or stress from the family."
"He came into this world premature and
left the world premature."
"Go home, give your kids a hug and don't
let a day go by without telling them you love them."
"Matthew's family is so grateful that his
last words to them were "I love you". This was said when the family
went to Saudi Arabia where they work for a oil company".
