Only those who have lost a child can begin to understand how Ron and Sharon Matusek feel. Their son Aaron, a freshman at Palo Verde High School, died of a sudden heart attack on March 10, 2005. He was 14.
Now, almost two years later, Aaron's parents have turned their grief into something positive. They set up the Aaron Matusek Memorial Scholarship Fund and, this summer, awarded a $3,000 scholarship to Elise Barrio, now a student at the University of Nevada, Reno. The money came from donations in lieu of flowers at the funeral.
The parents set up a golf tournament to replenish the funds. It was held Oct. 16 at Silverstone Golf Club. The event raised $6,000, which will help two more students go to college.
"Last year, we received several donations during the holiday season, so we're hoping that people will continue to be as generous this year and in years to come," Sharon Matusek said. "We want to send children to college in Aaron's place ... It's a lot of work, this tournament."
It was a lot of work but it also took the couple's mind off the empty hole in their lives, if only for the hectic weeks it took to pull it all together.
At the Matusek house, the grieving process continues. Aaron's bedroom, for example, is pretty much just the way he left it.
"Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I swear I can hear him running up the stairs with his dog," Matusek said.
The events of that day still are fresh in his parents' minds.
"I took a healthy, happy teenager to school at 7 a.m., and later that morning, the school calls me to say he's having a seizure on the athletic field," Matusek said. "I ran a red light and did a myriad of other unsafe things and made it to Palo Verde in eight minutes."
She arrived in time to see her son being wheeled into an ambulance and was told to follow it to the hospital.
Aaron had no prior medical problems except seasonal allergies and slight asthma. He had a complete physical just two weeks earlier.
Students who were standing beside him the day he died reported that Aaron began trembling all over and they heard him say, "Oh my God, what is happening to me?" before he fell face-forward onto the grass, where he lay prone.
The school nurse hurried out with a defibrillator as soon as she heard what happened and had to use the paddles on him four times.
At the hospital, the parents learned that Aaron's organs were shutting down and his brain activity registered a one on a scale of one to 10. Six is necessary to sustain life. Three days later, his parents said their final goodbyes and the life-support machines were switched off.
"It was the hardest decision we ever made," Sharon Matusek said.
At the funeral, complete strangers came up to them, telling them how Aaron affected their lives.
One was a Palo Verde student who was born with a disfigured foot. Other students laughed at him for his strange gait, he said. Aaron didn't laugh.
In fact, the boy said that when he dropped his books one day, it was Aaron who stepped in, picked them up, carried them to class for the boy and became his new friend.
Another teen there to pay his respects was of Pakistani descent. He said he had suffered angry insults and threats of physical violence after the Sept. 11 attacks. Aaron, his parents learned, not only took the boy under his wing, he also enlisted the help of his buddies. They escorted the boy to his classes so he wouldn't be attacked.
Aaron gave more of himself in death. His organs were donated so that others could live fuller lives. His parents said he would have wanted it that way.
Family friend Ida Minarchan recalled Aaron as being mature for his age and a very polite young man who used "sir" and "ma'am."
"If I asked him to do something, he'd get right up and do go it," she said.
Polly Davis, another family friend, said he was always friendly and happy.
"He was in my Cub Scout pack for three years," she said. "He was full of energy, that's for sure."
Aaron was into racing and would go to Mike Minarchan's house to work on cars. On June 19, 2004, Minarchan was driving him home when Aaron suggested that he didn't look very well. Minarchan pulled over. He was having a heart attack and soon was unconscious. He said he actually had died while Aaron called 911 on his cell phone for help.
"The 911 people talked him through it (CPR)," he said. "That little guy saved my life."
Now, the scholarship effort will see Aaron's good intentions continue. Those who wish to contribute can send a check to Helping Hand Foundation, P.O. Box 371372, Las Vegas, NV 89137, specifying the contribution for the Aaron Matusek Fund.
By JAN HOGAN
VIEW STAFF WRITER
Only those who have lost a child can begin to understand how Ron and Sharon Matusek feel. Their son Aaron, a freshman at Palo Verde High School, died of a sudden heart attack on March 10, 2005. He was 14.
Now, almost two years later, Aaron's parents have turned their grief into something positive. They set up the Aaron Matusek Memorial Scholarship Fund and, this summer, awarded a $3,000 scholarship to Elise Barrio, now a student at the University of Nevada, Reno. The money came from donations in lieu of flowers at the funeral.
The parents set up a golf tournament to replenish the funds. It was held Oct. 16 at Silverstone Golf Club . The event raised $6,000, which will help two more students go to college.
"Last year, we received several donations during the holiday season, so we're hoping that people will continue to be as generous this year and in years to come," Sharon Matusek said. "We want to send children to college in Aaron's place ... It's a lot of work, this tournament."
It was a lot of work but it also took the couple's mind off the empty hole in their lives, if only for the hectic weeks it took to pull it all together.
At the Matusek house, the grieving process continues. Aaron's bedroom, for example, is pretty much just the way he left it .
"Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I swear I can hear him running up the stairs with his dog," Matusek said.
The events of that day still are fresh in his parents' minds.
"I took a healthy, happy teenager to school at 7 a.m., and later that morning, the school calls me to say he's having a seizure on the athletic field," Matusek said. "I ran a red light and did a myriad of other unsafe things and made it to Palo Verde in eight minutes."
She arrived in time to see her son being wheeled into an ambulance and was told to follow it to the hospital.
Aaron had no prior medical problems except seasonal allergies and slight asthma. He had a complete physical just two weeks earlier.
Students who were standing beside him the day he died reported that Aaron began trembling all over and they heard him say, "Oh my God, what is happening to me?" before he fell face-forward onto the grass, where he lay prone.
The school nurse hurried out with a defibrillator as soon as she heard what happened and had to use the paddles on him four times.
At the hospital, the parents learned that Aaron's organs were shutting down and his brain activity registered a one on a scale of one to 10. Six is necessary to sustain life. Three days later, his parents said their final goodbyes and the life-support machines were switched off.
"It was the hardest decision we ever made," Sharon Matusek said.
At the funeral, complete strangers came up to them, telling them how Aaron affected their lives.
One was a Palo Verde student who was born with a disfigured foot. Other students laughed at him for his strange gait, he said. Aaron didn't laugh.
In fact, the boy said that when he dropped his books one day, it was Aaron who stepped in, picked them up, carried them to class for the boy and became his new friend.
Another teen there to pay his respects was of Pakistani descent. He said he had suffered angry insults and threats of physical violence after the Sept. 11 attacks. Aaron, his parents learned, not only took the boy under his wing, he also enlisted the help of his buddies. They escorted the boy to his classes so he wouldn't be attacked.
Aaron gave more of himself in death. His organs were donated so that others could live fuller lives. His parents said he would have wanted it that way.
Family friend Ida Minarchan recalled Aaron as being mature for his age and a very polite young man who used "sir" and "ma'am."
"If I asked him to do something, he'd get right up and do go it," she said.
Polly Davis, another family friend, said he was always friendly and happy.
"He was in my Cub Scout pack for three years," she said. "He was full of energy, that's for sure."
Aaron was into racing and would go to Mike Minarchan's house to work on cars. On June 19, 2004, Minarchan was driving him home when Aaron suggested that he didn't look very well. Minarchan pulled over. He was having a heart attack and soon was unconscious. He said he actually had died while Aaron called 911 on his cell phone for help.
"The 911 people talked him through it (CPR)," he said. "That little guy saved my life."
Now, the scholarship effort will see Aaron's good intentions continue. Those who wish to contribute can send a check to Helping Hand Foundation, P.O. Box 371372, Las Vegas, NV 89137, specifying the contribution for the Aaron Matusek Fund.
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