Matthew LaPorte

Today I thought I would speak some of Matthew LaPorte. I he was one of my freshmen...one of my kids...a member of my family.
LaPorte was one of those kids that you couldnt quite figure out. He seemed like a total space cadet...but then he would say something so left field and funny that it would shock you and then cause you to laugh. He was a goofball...sometimes not all there...but he was a good cadet...a good kid...and he had a good future ahead of him.
LaPorte died yesterday morning...he was heroic...he saved a girls life and attacked the shooter in an attempt to bring him down and lost his life for his efforts.
He is a hero...a hero that I am priviledged to have known, priviledged to have trained. He has left us now...but our memories of him are strong...and he shall always remain with us in our hearts. We remember the good times now..the funny comments...the oddball looks. We remember 'I'm gonna break his knees' and the key lime pie and the funny looking uniforms and all the times we had a chuckle because he decided to do something funny like decide there was no formation.
He will be sorely missed...and I hope he is watching us from above, that he knows we love him and miss him. God, please let him know how he is missed, please let him know we love him, please let him know that we are so proud of him it hurts....and we will never forget, and we will hold him with us for the rest of our lives.

I thought I would share some pics of the memorial as well...

Cadet Nathan Boggs....LaPorte's Roomate and my Bud

Cadet Art DeLaura, LaPorte's Bud

Cadet Christopher Wallace, one of my fellow cadre

A sea of Lights...VT comes together to remember

LaPorte's Cord is hung high upon the Guide-on

LaPorte's Cord

Together in prayer


Today we are united as one...we are all Hokies today
Thanks to all the other universities
who offer comfort.

We never really know when we have hero's amongst us until it is too late. Matt LaPorte was one of those heros who acted selflessley to save another. He is trully what this university is all about...he is a true hero....he is loved...he is missed...he is gone, but never forgotten.

~Cate