Matt's Biography

I am currently...
Teaching high school Physical Science, Computers, and P.E. at Montego Bay Christian Academy in Montego Bay, Jamaica.  I also do after school tutoring and a one-on-one class in the evening.

After I complete The Run, I plan on...
Settling down and going to the University of Michigan, to pursue...some sort of degree?  I also hope to co-write a book with Brandon about our experiences.  The maybe to play myself in the blockbuster movie based on our story...ok, now I'm dreaming.

I am doing this because...
Too many reasons to list!  The adventure of it I guess.  I have a friend that said something that really impacted me:  How do you want the story of your life to read?  I decided that I want my life story to be awesome.  I also have always had a bit of a chip on my shoulder that my life has been too easy, and this is one of the hardest things I could think of doing.

Beyond that, there are a few personal reasons that make this an awesome idea to me.  Being a senior Moon Monster, it seemed like the thing a Moon Monster would do.  I  want to do it to shove in the face of anyone who said we wouldn't (Tony!)  I also want to do it in honor of my track and cross country coach my freshman and sophomore years.

My first memory of Brandon is...
My first major memory of him is from a small incident in 2nd Grade, involving my entire face being ripped up like hamburger on the blacktop...let's just leave it at that.

I'm glad it's Brandon that is coming with me because...
He knows me better than anyone, with the possible exception of my mom.  We've always gotten along extremely well, even during our infamous debates.

He's been a loyal friend and my toughest competition (in everything!) for as long as I've had either.  We've competed in academics (his GPA=4, mine=3.98, he took me on SAT by 10 points, I took him on ACT by 2 points), cross country (I beat him in our last high school cross country race, 17:42 to 17:44), track (I take him in the 800, he takes me in the 3200), Ultimate Frisbee (he's got the reach and the throw, I've got better hands), swimming (he wasted me out of the water in our last triathlon together, but I burned him on the bike), baseball (he had a pretty good ERA against me in Little League), basketball (I would take him 1 on 1, but he usually beats me when we play Lightning), card games (I rule him at Euchre!) and other things too numerous to list.  Through it all we've remained friends and teammates who have the utmost respect for each other. 

Now we're going to work together again, this time to try to achieve what will likely be the most difficult accomplishment of our lives.  I know he hates giving up as much as I do, and he wants to succeed as badly as I do.  There isn't a person I'd rather have doing this with me.  We've gone through plenty together, and I'm proud to call him a friend and brother in Christ.

One personal thing I plan on bringing with me on the road is...
One thing!  Geez!  A couple things I plan on bringing are a Bible and some sort of portable FM radio.

The things I'll miss the most are:
My laptop, my The Simpsons DVD collection, my music, air conditioning, sleeping in a bed, youth group, and most of all my parents and my friends.

I am afraid that during the run...
We'll be raped, murdered, or run over.  Or that someone will think we're a gay couple out for a walk with our adopted baby in the stroller.  Or that Brandon and I will kill each other after a month of being together 24/7.  Or that we won't make it, making complete jerks out of ourselves.  These are just a few of many worries.