Matthew Gerard Horst

We remember with love and affection our son, brother, and uncle Matthew Gerard Horst, who has stepped outside for his final Marlboro Red. Matt died unexpectedly at his home in Sylva NC, a month from his 46th birthday. He is survived by his mother, Kathryn Haas; father, Martin Horst; sisters Melissa Horst and Leah Helou (nee Horst); niece Aya Helou; nephew Rasa Helou; and a large and loving extended family. 

Matt, you were precious and valuable to us. Your death leaves a void in our lives that we can only try to fill with happy memories of you. We will lean on the days when your energy was boundless and you were so free with your gregarious, infectious laugh. We will remember your generous spirit and your disarming nature that ensured no one stayed a stranger for too long.  You often sprinted into hugs, gangly and open-armed, just to then stoop down and embrace the person like they were made of precious crystal. A gentle giant. Never one to offer a straight face at picture time, you had a knack for cranking up the inappropriate humor just as Mom hoped we would calm down “so we could all just enjoy a nice dinner together.” We even miss your three radio stations and the television playing simultaneously. Though it’s easier to hear ourselves think without it, we’d have that cacophony back in a heartbeat (and even turn the volume up) in exchange for a little more time with you. As we press on without the steadfast reliability of your calls and texts (which came in volleys at ungodly hours), we will try to draw your energy from what we have left of your vast graphic tee collection. And we will always rock out to American Music: Take one. One, two, three, four! We so loved your head-thrown-back guffaws – they confirmed that against some odds, we had somehow all managed to arrive in a place of shared connection. What a gift. All the other stuff, we loved you for that and through that, too. Your spirit was so bright, Matt, and we were all rooting for you. All our love, rest well.

We offer a final special thanks to the phenomenal staff at Meridian Behavioral Health Services and the ACT team, and at the Community Table – it takes a village, indeed. The family requests that donations be made in memoriam to the Community Table of Sylva NC (https://communitytable.org/how-to-help/), which nourished Matt in many ways.