City: Monroe

Brain Injury: Severe frontotemperoparietal epidural hematoma with diffuse axonal injury and cerebrovascular stroke in midbrain

Explanation of Mask: Matthew survived his initial injuries and rehabilitated beautifully.  We had five extra years of love and laughter with him until he experience a breakthrough seizure while driving and was killed upon impact.  This mask represents how our lives are now bittersweet.  Thankful for the time we had, yet very heartbroken at the loss of such a precious soul who impacted an immeasurable amount of people with his kindness and resilience.  We use sunflowers to remind ourselves and others of him.  He loved to plant them and was strong, beautiful and sunny just like them.  He is forever 17.