January 10, 1982 – July 14, 2022
By: Allison Simpson, Matthew’s wife
Matt was the most curious person I had ever met. He always had a sense of wonderment and took in everything around him. He loved taking deep dives into anything that caught his interest. He had a gentle nature and at the same time was incredibly silly. He was an incredibly unique individual. He had a brilliant, beautiful, and gifted mind, yet was so humble and unassuming. He was valedictorian of his high school, attended the Honor’s College at Clemson University’s, and received his PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland. While pursuing his advanced degrees, he worked at the National Institute of Health where he received several accolades. Matt once told his father he wanted to be valued for what he knows rather than what he could do. Matt achieved this goal, like so many others, and was Senior Staff Engineer at Qualcomm where he worked closely with dear friends, and much like anything he did, he was ahead of the curve in terms of achievement. He was not only intellectually gifted but also creatively gifted, a true renaissance man. Matt was also very knowledgeable about music, music theory, art, and played guitar and trumpet, could draw and paint, and build anything. He enjoyed exploring, trying new restaurants, traveling, biking, hiking, and he loved his neighborhood.
But above all else, Matt was entirely devoted to his family. He called his parents almost daily. He was their only son.
For 17 years Matt and I were devoted to each other, first partnering in 2006 while living in Washington, DC and then marrying in 2014 in the midst of moving to Durham, NC. We welcomed our son in 2018 and our daughter in 2020. We loved spending time together as a family above all else and created a life where we were able to prioritize this. We did everything together. We even had a family song “Together Wherever We Go” by the Four Lads.
In July 2022, our family was doing what many families enjoy about living in North Carolina; we were enjoying time outside together and enjoying one of the many bike and pedestrian trails that led to the local children’s museum. On our way home, Matt was killed in front of myself and our two young children by a speeding car that ran the red light as Matt was crossing the crosswalk that connected the trail and led to our neighborhood. The car never attempted to stop at the red light, the car never attempted to swerve out of the way. The car never stopped, speeding away with Matt’s bike attached to the car. Our lives were completely shattered in an instant.
I am dedicated to keeping Matt’s memory alive and honoring him in everything I do. Matt was the most loving father, husband, and son, and he touched so many people’s lives. The kids and I talk about Matt all of the time. Anytime we have a memory of Dada we write it down in our memory book. Sometimes we put our hands on our hearts and think about Dada. We still feel Matt’s love every day. We always will. He will always be a part of us.
As my sister lovingly said “Matt’s love lives on in you and your son and your daughter, and any bit of joy you have or they have I believe is an expression of the love that he had for all of you and the very best way to honor him.”
Matthew will be honored at the 2023 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. For more information, visit: https://ncsafestreets.com/2023/10/09/2023-world-day-of-remembrance-for-road-traffic-victims-november-19/
North Carolina Families for Safe Streets 