On the morning of April 12, 2023, Matthew Friedman, a son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, best friend, boyfriend, and an extremely gifted young man, unexpectedly did not wake up. In the coming days, it was confirmed that a ruptured brain aneurysm had taken Matthew from us at 19 years old. Matthew was a brilliant, caring, passionate, and extremely loved young man. He was going to use his brilliance to become a doctor and change the face of medicine. Matthew also harbored a love for politics and governance, earning accolades as a three-time Best Delegate in a Rutgers Model Congress Conference. The last few years, he was torn between becoming a doctor or a lawyer, and ultimately decided he would just do both. He would become an amazing doctor, and when he retired, turn to politics as a Senator, leaving an indelible mark on both fields.
At Cornell University, Matthew pursued his pre-med studies with a focus on Biology, particularly Neurobiology and Behavior, laying the foundation for his future as a surgeon. He was not content with merely excelling academically; he also dedicated his time to serving his community as an EMT with the local first aid squad, embodying his commitment to helping others in their times of need.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Matthew was an avid track runner, having competed throughout middle school and high school. During his senior year, he ran the 800 meter-dash in the Meet of Champions and State Finals in the winter and spring seasons, respectively. Matthew had infinite ambition, drive, and could do anything he put his mind to. He was going to make his mark on the world, so now it’s up to us to take on that challenge.
The Cornell Daily Sun Article
On May 3, 2023, the Cornell University newspaper published the article titled “‘Beloved’ First-Year Student Matthew Friedman Remembered as Brilliant, Kind.” Within the article, The Sun quotes family and friends of Matthew’s from home and on campus to express the grief that everyone who knew Matt was experiencing.
The quote “Dream big and seize your potential” came from Matthew’s speech at his high school graduation on June 23, 2022. Matthew was the President of his class at Marlboro High School, and spoke at graduation along side the Mayor, Principal, and other select students. In addition to quoting Michael Scott from The Office, Matthew included his own words of wisdom in his speech to be an inspiration to his class to do great things beyond high school and college. At the 2023 Marlboro High School graduation, the current Executive Class President quoted Matthew’s speech and reminded his senior class and all of us to embrace Matthew’s ambition and achieve greatness, noting that was something Matthew was sadly not able to do.
Please reach out and contact us with any stories of Matthew or any personal tragedies similar to Matt’s that you feel inclined to share.