The family of a Pinellas County motorcyclist killed in an alleged DUI crash on New Year’s Eve is speaking out.
Michael and Julie Deremer said they’ll remember their son Matthew’s infectious personality and his larger than life faith.
“He’s bigger than life, he’s loud, and you know when he’s in a room. He’s funny. He just shares himself with everybody. And he just loves on people,” his mother, Julie said.
On New Year’s Eve the 31-year-old was killed when his motorcycle collided with Steven Clarke’s SUV at the intersection of 102nd Avenue North and 98th Street. Investigators say Clark was drunk. But Matthew’s parents say this is less about how he died and more about how he lived.
“It’s my belief that this tragic event will bring about the change of many lives. Many lives will be changed as they look at what he went through and what he’s overcome and how he did it with his personal relationship with Jesus,” his father Michael said.
And there’s no shortage of people paying their respects to him. There’s a growing memorial near the scene of the crash. His parents say it is yet another sign of how their son impacted so many people.
And that impact is spreading. His last post on Facebook has thousands of views.
In the post he talked about how much he gained, lost and learned in 2015. The Deremers also shared a picture that reads, “We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one day.”
His last line in his post read, “And I really don't know where I'll end up tonight but I do know where I windup is where I'm meant to be.”
Matthew was a veteran and an active member of a Christian motorcycle group. His family and friends plan to celebrate his life in the coming weeks.
Read his post below:
