Drew Robert Matthews

On Friday, March 10, 2023, our beloved Drew Robert Matthews left this earth suddenly for his next great adventure. He was 29 years old.

Drew was a gentle old soul with the heart of a poet. He was born on November 20, 1993, in Roseville, California to Laura and Rodney Matthews. His early years were a mix of adventure and hardship. When Drew was 9 years old, he was adopted by his second parents Katie and Ken Moore.

Those who knew Drew remember him for his sparkling blue eyes, generosity, kindness, and gentle wit. He was a voracious reader from an early age, devouring books about a variety of topics from fantasy to neuroscience. Drew fell in love with Norse mythology during his time attending a Waldorf school; this connection would shape much of his writing as well as inspire a few of his tattoos.

Drew loved sports and physical fitness. In high school, he played football and fell in love with the game, making lifelong connections with his football buddies. Drew was also a serious weightlifter, training regularly throughout his life. Just days prior to his passing, Drew proudly joined the "1000 Club" at his gym, which means his combined dead lift, squat and bench press weights totaled 1000 pounds.

At the age of 19, Drew enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. As part of Marine security forces, Drew was deployed to Cuba, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Oman and completed his final deployment in Iraq. Sergeant Drew Matthews retired from the Marine Corps in 2019 after six years of honorable service.

In June 2017, while stationed at 29 Palms, California, Drew suddenly became very ill and was diagnosed with a rare and lethal form of cancer called choriocarcinoma, which had metastasized throughout his body and brain. Drew was 23 when his cancer fight began, and he fought a long, hard, and extremely difficult fight -- winning against all odds over the course of five years. Drew developed some wickedly dark humor during this battle that helped him cope with the loss and uncertainty. In February 2023, his doctors believed he was finally in remission.

Drew's life was greatly altered by cancer, yet he always tried to have a positive attitude and love and gratitude for those around him. Drew managed to tick off a bucket list item in 2019, mere months out of treatment, when he and his brother Ethan traveled around Europe with backpacks for 5 weeks. It was an achievement that Drew never thought would be possible, and he was so proud of pulling it off with Ethan at his side.

Unfortunately, the damage in Drew's brain left him with seizures, which was the most challenging "price of the cure" Drew experienced. Sometime during the night on March 10, Drew experienced a seizure while sleeping that he did not survive. His cause of death is believed to be Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy, or SUDEP. We believe Drew passed peacefully and without any awareness of what was happening.

It is hard to believe we will never see those smiling blue eyes again, never hear his sweet "Hi" again, or listen to him explain the latest topic that fascinated him. To be with Drew was like taking a deep dive into the meaning of life. He could also be a stinker. Drew struggled at times with attachment and tended to "ghost" people. To those who were ghosted by Drew, know that he loved you and was working hard to overcome this habit.

Drew is survived by his parents Katie and Ken Moore, his brother Daniel, sister Demi, sister Shelby, brother Ethan and his 'children' -- kitties Ruffian and Tux. Drew was preceded in death by his beloved soulmate cat Blueberry, who was in Drew's life for 17 years. When Blueberry passed in Drew's arms, Drew remarked "I am not afraid of death now, because I know that Blueberry will be waiting for me."