Matt Welty
A year ago, on April 15th 2007, my friend Matt Welty passed away after a night out with his girlfriend. From all accounts the night was a good time shared with close friends without any indications of what the next day would bring.
Matt was an amazing man. He was friendly to everyone that he met, ran a business with the highest level of integrity, had an insatiable curiosity about life, culture, events, and people. He introduced me to Burning Man. He listened to me when my ex-girlfriend dumped me. He inspired me, counseled me, encouraged and supported me in many different ways.
There were so many different kinds of people at his funeral. Standing back you'd look at the different groups looking around saying to themselves He was friends with those people?
That was at the beginning of the service, and yes he was friends with those people. By the end of the service there were no longer clustered groups of those people. There was just one group of Matt Welty's friends.
I've thought about him often over the past year. He's the closest friend I've ever lost, and I miss having him in this world.
I was sad to hear of Matts death on the 4th of July of 2008. Matt and I met on a spiritual journey to meet our guides etc. We were the only two to graduate from our class to the advanced course. I saw him on thursdays for a while and then life took over and we lost contact. It’s been years since we had actual contact. It was through a fellow advanced class mate that I learned of his passing. So I did what we do now and I googled him to see what I could see. You seem like a good friend of his and I wish you my condolences on your/our loss.
Matt from the pictures I saw seemed to live life large and in broad color. For a long time he was the only guy I knew on a spiritual journey.(very cool) I considered him a brother on the search and tried to keep tabs from a distance so as not to create issues among jealous girlfriends.
I have to say I have read some of your other life section posts and was amused buy your Bikram Yoga experiences. I also did the 60 day challenge twice I think, then fell away. I wish you luck on staying committed for the long hawl.
I know I am a stranger to you but I hope this note finds you well.
-Joan
Dear Joan,
Matt truly did live life large and in broad color. I was blessed to be a close friend of his for only a short time. Too short a time. I’ve never heard of anyone who didn’t like Matt. I have some friends that people either love or hate. Matt was one whom everyone loved.
Bikram is my favorite workout. Sadly I’ve not continued as I’ve traveled across the country. I have the workout loaded into my ipod, but going somewhere to practice by myself seems very difficult. I’d much rather practice at a studio. My sister just offered me a studio apartment that she owns as an inducement to move to Raleigh, NC. Her first words after was that there was a Bikram Studio in Raleigh. She knows me very well. That is one of the requirements I have for the place where I’ll settle down.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts here. There are no strangers in my world, only friends I’ve yet to meet.
-Philip