Obituary: Hamilton loses a beloved giver. Matthew Odom who was avid volunteer, husband and father
What made him so very easy to like, so very easy to admire, were the very qualities that make him so very hard to lose, and what has been lost with Matthew Odom is not just a young man - a young man, yes - but also a father, husband, son, friend, advocate, volunteer and, more widely, a great example.
Matthew Odom was there for young men with cancer when no one else was, not just because he had been through it himself but because they hadn't, and he didn't want them to be alone.
Matthew Odom was there for his friends and colleagues, people like Robert Morningstar who shared patrols and other duties with Matthew in their work as Ministry of Transportation enforcement officers. Robert came over the course of almost 15 years to treasure Matthew as a dear friend," one who made him laugh and made him appreciate passion, friendship care and commitment.
He was so easy to get along with, says Robert, and had a dry sense of humour that still makes me chuckle thinking of him. His passion for life I will always remember." Matthew loved sports cars and always had a red one.
In 2008, not long after coming on as an enforcement officer, having come from Canada's Wonderland security, Matthew was diagnosed with brain cancer. He was 24. He battled valiantly, overcoming the cancer, before getting it again in 2013. He beat it once more but it returned and he had a third surgery earlier this year. He died on May 7, age 37, survived by his beloved Vicky, two-year-old daughter Elizabeth, his parents and many others.
Everyone was fond of Matthew, says Robert. His colleagues, his family, friends, the people he volunteered with at Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. Did they like him? Did they love him?
They flew the Lancaster Bomber over the hospital to honour Matt after his last surgery," says Robert.
There's more. On April 22, we did a drive-by for him," says Robert. The police, fire department, OPP, MTO, ambulance workers. He was in his driveway and we paid tribute to him. These were some burly guys and there was not a dry eye."
The drive-by, with dozens of vehicles, meant the world to him. He was smiling and he talked about it for days after. He was in a dark spot then" and it picked him up.
After Matthew had beaten cancer for the second time, he started a support group for young men with cancer and their families and loved ones at Hamilton's Wellwood cancer support resource. The Spectator's Joanna Frketich did a story on it in 2015. Matthew had told her that he was struggling after having beaten cancer only to have it return and having to start at square one" again. He and Tyler Steeves began something called Guys Night In.
That article meant a great deal to him, Robert says. When Robert's wife got cancer (she is through it now), he says that Matthew encouraged him to come to the meetings.
I wasn't in the right place (to go to the meetings) at the time but I talked to Matthew one-on-one. He was a very special guy."
Robert say that he thought almost right to the end, He can beat this. He's got this. But the last round ... it's hard to believe he's gone."
He says Matthew was just so proud of his family. Even when he knew it was going to be over for him he was mostly concerned about looking out for Vicky and Elizabeth. He called Vicky his guardian angel.' "
What are they going to do without me?' he would ask. We'll be there for them,' I'd say. In his final days that's what hit me the strongest. He was more concerned for them."
Jeff Mahoney is a Hamilton-based reporter and columnist covering culture and lifestyle stories, commentary and humour for The Spectator. Reach him via email: jmahoney@thespec.com