Matthew "Oliver" Dragovich

In a devastating shock to his family, friends and admirers, Matthew “Oliver” Dragovich died accidently in his sleep during the early morning hours of Saturday, August 20th.

Known as “Matthew” to his family and “Oliver” to friends and colleagues. He leaves behind a legacy of empathetic caring, a quick wit and a beautiful smile. The “Oliver” name is a tribute to his late close relative and Croatian international singing star Oliver Dragojević whom he identified with deeply .

An adorable and loving child, he was obsessed with expressing his love  for his brother and parents. In social situations he had this interesting habit when he was very young of searching out unfamiliar adult woman in any room, would just climb on their lap and start stroking their face. A trait he developed through his early devotion to his mom. Hearts would melt. There was absolutely nothing shy about him.

As he grew bigger, he found success in sports enjoying basketball, baseball and football and becoming a devoted Seahawks and Mariners fan.

Ever the “renaissance man” he also took acting and improv lessons in the summertime in his early teens. He was also a gifted student becoming a National Merit Scholar in 8th grade and attracting the attention of Ivy League schools.

All that would change though when he discovered the piano. He had found his passion and he focused his talent solely on the arts.

While still in grammar school he self-taught himself the piano. In no time he was able to instinctively roam up and down the keyboard with passion and power, making up his music on the fly while stunning anyone within ear shot. He didn’t even bother to learn how to read and write music until in his late teens.

His reputation grew over time as highly talented lyricist, poet and painter and was a rising star in the northwest poetry community.

In his adult years he did experience significant challenges. He struggled with PTSD that went undiagnosed for almost a decade. Additionally, he was actively managing several physical ailments as well.

Ever confident, he refused to let his difficulties and disability define him and kept powering through in hot pursuit of his passions.

In recent months he earned his second degree from Shoreline College and completed a nine-show poetry tour that took him across the Northwest. He was on the verge of publishing his second poetry book and had recently incorporated a theater based nonprofit business he had worked towards for years.

In many ways these last few months were the best days of his adult life, full of enthusiasm and faith in great things to come. His final message to his family the day before his passing was “You should be proud of me, everyone on the West Coast is like “Where’s Oliver!?” I’m prepared for the world! I looooove you.

And then he was gone.

Time, date and location of his memorial service is T.B.D.