The obituary of 5 year old Garrett

[SharonClark]

I hope it is okay to publish this obit here...it made me smile and broke my heart. [link:http://www.hamiltonsfuneralhome.com/services/services_detail.aspx?rid=35399|

Garrett Michael Matthias
AKA “The Great Garrett Underpants”
3/26/13 – 7/6/18

My name is: Garrett Michael Boofias
My birthday is: I am 5 years old
My address is: I am a Bulldog!
My favorite color is: Blue….and Red and Black and Green
My favorite superhero is: Batman…and Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk and Cyborg
When I grow up: I’m going to be a professional boxer

My favorite people are:
• Mommy, Daddy, my sister ‘Delcina’ (Delphina),
• The grandparents with the new house (Fredric and Cheryl Krueger),
• The grandparents with the camper (Daniel and Nita Matthias),
• My cousins: Grady, ‘that guy I took down that one time’ (Luke), and London Marie,
• My Auntie Janette and Stinky Uncle Andy (Andrew and Janette Krueger),
• Those two guys, you know, my uncles (Kristopfer Krueger and James Taylor)
• Batman!!

The things I love the most: Playing with my sister, my blue bunny, thrash metal, Legos, my daycare friends, Batman and when they put me to sleep before they access my port
Things I hate: Pants!, dirty stupid cancer, when they access my port, needles, and the monkey nose that smells like cherry farts…I do like the mint monkey nose like at Mayo Radiation and that one guy that helped me build Legos (Randy)

When I die: I am going to be a gorilla and throw poo at Daddy!

Burned or Buried: I want to be burned (like when Thor’s Mommy died) and made into a tree so I can live in it when I’m a gorilla

Big or Small Funeral: Funerals are sad: I want 5 bouncy houses (because I’m 5), Batman, and snow cones

Emilie and Ryan Matthias will honor Garrett’s final wishes by having a Celebration of Life on Saturday, July 14th from 5pm – 11pm at 2377 132nd Ct Van Meter, Iowa

Note: Symbolic Asgardian burial ceremony and fireworks will be held just after sunset

A private burial of Garrett’s ashes will be held at a later time once his parents figure out how the hell to get his ashes made into a tree and locate a nature preserve, so his tree resides in a protected area.

Donations can be made directly to the family https://www.gofundme.com/garrett-mathiasmathias-family or in Garrett’s honor to a few of the many non-profits that helped Garrett along the way: The Little Al Foundation (https://www.littlealfoundation.com), The Pink Tractor Foundation (https://www.facebook.com/PinkTractorFoundation) and the University of Iowa Dance Marathon (https://dancemarathon.uiowa.edu)

We are so grateful to the many doctors, nurses, child life specialists, musicians, art therapists, and volunteers that worked tirelessly to cure Garrett of his cancer. The reality for Garrett and so many other children is pediatric cancer is an ugly, nasty beast that leaves a path of destruction. For Garrett and many others before him – cancer kills. Those that are ‘lucky’ enough to survive endure long term debilitating side effects and the constant fear of relapse. We will fight for a cure until no other kids are robbed of their childhood, no other siblings lose their best friends, and no other parents have to bury their babies.

Garrett endured nine months of hell before he lost his battle with cancer. During that time he never lost his sense of humor and loved to tease the doctors and nurses. From whoopy cushions and sneaking clothes pins on their clothes to ‘hazing’ the interns and new staff doctors, he was forever a prankster. Nothing caught people off guard as his response to ‘see ya later alligator’:

See ya later, suckas! - The Great Garrett Underpants

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Tears running down my cheeks. Hope his blue bunny is with him.

[MontanaMama]

2. Damn.

RIP Garrett. I hope you get to come back as a gorilla, dear boy.

Side note...obituaries are sad. But, we all read them and I must say that the obits that describe the actual person who has passed are so much more interesting than more common chronologies of a life followed by a lengthy list of those left behind. Likes, passions, favorite things, personal philosophies, hopes and dreams etc...these are who a person is. With this simple obituary, Garrett’s parents shared a bit of their precious boy with all who take the time to read it.

[Frustratedlady]

3. Whoa! Five years old going on twenty?

That is one mature little boy. To be such a deep thinker as to come up with your own obituary is a feat few people can attain. Bless his heart for the wild imagination and the courage to lay his life out on paper. His bit of mischief was giving his parents the task of coming up with a tree for his ashes...his future gorilla perch.

These children put life in perspective in such a simple way. Here we are battling the everyday antics of the Orange Gibbon while these children are facing death. Makes one pretty darned humble, doesn't it?

RIP, Garrett.