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Kim,
As Michael prepares to move into CAMP House this weekend, I must express my sincerest “Thanks” to you for making it possible. You are the spark behind this opportunity for Michael and the other young men.
It’s never a small thing to let go of a child, and of course you know the additional concerns of letting go of a disabled son. I am very clear, though, that the cruelest thing I could do to Michael would be to not let him experience life on his own, to not foster his independence.
Life goes so, so fast … in a flash the future is here and I will be unable to take care of him and without independent living skills, he would be bereft.
CAMP House is his ticket to a meaningful life now and in the future.
Your and Dave’s foresight and generosity has made this possible. Thank you deeply.
In gratitude,
Paul
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Dear Friends,
When our son, Chris, passed away on Halloween, 2007, we set out to make life better for other adults with developmental disabilities in our community. Over the last two years we have created a wonderful network of community partners to prepare a home for adults with developmental disabilities to live in!! We have:
- Installed an interior fire suppression system thanks to the folks at Western States Fire Protection.
- Installed a Fire Alarm system, thanks to Ed King at Allied Alarms.
- Moved the washer and dryer, fixed the roof, enlarged egress routes and made a plethora of home modifications to ensure all health and safety requirements of the state are being met thanks to Charlie Paterson Construction.
- Patched all the holes in the walls and covered some of the sprinkler pipes thanks to Clayton Bundy Drywall.
- Installed new carpet thanks to Peak Carpet.
- Painted inside and landscaped outside thanks to the Singles Ward of LDS, Big Horn Painting and Dale’s Paints.
- Sanded and painted the picket fence and stained the back deck thanks to students from St. Mary’s, Palmer and Rampart High Schools.
- Created window treatments thanks to Wayne Keller Designs.
- Raised $80,000.00 towards a foundation to support the house thanks to all of you.
October 1st three young men are moving in and Cheyenne Village will oversee their needs. We thank you for believing in our dream and supporting it. Please come see the house and continue to believe in our power to change lives for the better.
With gratitude,
Kim and Dave Matthews
Here is a poem, written by singer/songwriter Bernice Lewis, about Chris. It was originally published in the TRE Quarterly in February 2006.
“I had the great privilege of living with the Matthews family a few years ago while teaching at Colorado College. I fell in love with all of them and am deeply saddened by Chris’ passing. I’ll be back this spring and will sorely miss his company. I wish I could have been at the service…he was a special spirit!
From the far reaches of the east coast -Bernice Lewis”
Christopher Vacuums at Kurtz’s Store
At the cocktail party
Christopher asks everyone
“Do you vacuum?”
everyone is talking real estate, tuition costs, and summer vacation
plans
“Do you vacuum?” he asks the slender blonde
“as little as possible” she answers
spreading pineapple mango salsa on a lo carb cracker
Christopher commandeers the entire bowl of tortilla chips and melted dip
it sits before him like his dinner plate
unspoken
but clearly off limits
no one else dares to dip
“Do you vacuum?”
the newest head of acquisitions at the local bank looks pensive
“is this a trick question?” he wonders to himself
“sometimes” he answers
awkwardly receiving Christopher’s requisite hug
he asks the pre-pubescent girls as they come up the stairs from the
playroom
they just giggle
he asks the housewives in their printed j jill skirts
and cotton boat neck tops
he asks the college kid who is home for the summer
finally satisfied
he sits before a now empty bowl
burps dramatically
and turns to the person next to him, changing the question
“Who am I?” he ask
7/10/06
Colorado Springs, CO
Bernice Lewis
Notes about Bernice Lewis:
She Undoes now available at http://cdbaby.com/cd/blewis4
Recorded in Nashville. Produced by Grammy Award winner Charlie Chadwick
No. 18 on FolkDJ for album in November, No. 16 song for “She Undoes”.
Bernice writes beautifully and deeply.
-Dar Williams
Bernice is really one of the keepers of the flame of Real Songwriting.
-Rosanne Cash
http://www.bernicelewis.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bernicelewis
“I loved having Chris as a neighbor all those years. Every time I saw him in the yard he put a smile on my face with a hug, an Austin Powers impression or a simple hello.” – Kristen S.
“Chris was such an integral part of the Old North End neighborhood. We, the many walkers from the townhomes North would often look forward to hearing Chris’ greeting from behind the big black fence.” – Carol
“I always stopped to talk to him when I saw him in your garden. He was very friendly to me. A handsome young man.” – Helen
“We will miss our little visits with Chris as we walked by your house. He was always so eager and interested in us and our little Jesse dog. “Do you know me? Do you know me? Do you know me? What’s my name?” He loved our attention. I always enjoyed our little chats.” – Sharon and Nolan
I feel so deeply fortunate to have had the opportunity to watch Chris blossom and grow throughout the years. He made people smile wherever he went. Weather he was at the park during summer camp, heading down a mountainside on skis or wolfing down Taco Bell at Dinner and a Movie. Chris did nothing in small measure. I will never forget his laughter and “uhhhoohhhh’s” echoing through the theater during movies or hearing his random questions throughout an outing. It seemed almost each place we went he saw someone he knew.
Recently, a co-worker reminded me of a classic Chris response on one of our trips. Just as he was in his community, Chris was well known throughout the Breckenridge Outdoor Educational Center. Staff there remembered him from years past and always had his ski gear ready to go. They always commented on how pleased they were to see him again. An instructor from England sat with him after a day on the slopes. He was eating a snack, cheese, of course. She asked him “Chris, what sort of cheese is that?” Without looking away or hardly even pausing he simply said “mine.”
We should all have the good fortune to be so sure of the things we love. To not be afraid to blaze our own trail and to share our feelings with the people we care about. Chris knew what it was all about and offered us valuable life lessons. He was most certainly one of a kind and one who will not be forgotten.
Thank you, Chris. Thank you also to the Matthew’s for sharing such a wonderful being with us all.
Fondly, Jaimy C.
Chris is a person whom I will never forget. My family and Chris’ family have been very close for over a decade, and all the memories of Chris will remain with us forever. He was such a special, loving, fun person who offered endless hugs, songs, and joy. He will always remain in our hearts and in our thoughts. Our prayers are with his family. We love you guys and are here for you always. much love.
- Kelley
To me, Libby [Pelican], Chris will always be …
… the Taco Bell lunch date that was guaranteed to brighten my every week …
… the only person who could tease me, a new driver clunkily mastering a stick-shift, “Oh Shit, Libby, grind the gears!”, without getting punched …
… the joyful chuckles echoing across Prospect Lake as he mastered waterskiing …
… the perfect reason to be late for first period …
… the inspiration to enter the field of autism as a professional …
… a cheerful morning greeting that lifted my spirits …
… big bear hugs that warmed my heart …
… and 18th birthday party I was honored to attend …
… the best partner for early morning Beach Boys jam session in my car …
Thank you, Chris, for bringing so much sunshine into my life!
(By: Libby Pelican)
During the four years that Chris lived with my family I always joked that someday I would write a book about the experience. I don’t think I ever went a day without at least one hug, one tickle and, yes, one burp. If I had enough time and a clear enough memory I could fill pages with the funny comments from Chris- always delivered right on cue. From his announcement in the mall when I was pregnant with my son, “Baby Andrew in the tummy”, to his comment one evening, “Doreen- look! See the dark!”, to his teaching my son to talk, “B-B-B-B Horse. Say it Andrew!”, the one I remember clearest is from the first day I met Chris. Probably because no one can forget meeting Chris.
I had just moved to town and my fiancée at the time, Dave, was taking me to Denver for a Rockies Game. We were also taking Chris and Dave B. along. Dave must have told Chris they were coming to get me. But I wasn’t quite ready and Dave went back to wait in the car with the guys. Chris simply looked at Dave and said “You forgot Doreen!” And thus I was “forgotten” every now and then over the next few weeks/months.
Unfortunately many of my favorite memories of Chris are not captured on video or pictures as I wish I could share them with many of you. The look on Chris’s face when he got a ride in our neighbor’s cherry red Dodge Viper, the peals of laughter zipping him in the inner tube around my in-law’s lake, the way he loved to ride in the loader bucket of my Dad’s tractor each and every time we took him to visit the farm and would sit in the bucket for hours waiting for someone to come give him a ride. The giggles and singing from the living room where he and my toddler watched their videos and shared toys, the way he danced so hard in the van to his music the entire car shook and drew stares from the other drivers, the way you always wanted to help push (uh pull) Andrew’s stroller on our walks, the red cup that sat permanently beside our sink for Chris to get a drink of water. (yes- it got washed but just went right back beside the sink.), the way he greeted his providers every morning as if he hadn’t seen them in months.
I feel privileged to have been Chris’s host home. I know no greater honor than to have been entrusted with his care. His memory will live forever in the heart of our family. (And on our home movies since he always managed to get into the footage! =) )
Doreen Merz
Please take a moment to read Chris' Obituary and Guest Book entries from the Gazette- November 2, 2007.