By JESSE GRAHAM
HE WAS described by many as an inspirational and kind-hearted young man.
Last week, almost 1000 friends and family gathered at Discovery Church in Mount Evelyn to farewell 17-year-old Josh Matthews who died of a suspected asthma attack on 27 November.
People packed into the auditorium of the church, filling the main room and three overflow rooms, as many speakers took to the stage to share their memories of the teenager.
Known to his family and friends as ‘Turbo’, Josh was well-known to many through being co-captain at Lilydale Heights Secondary College and a member of Coldstream Football Club.
A group of five friends spoke briefly on their experiences with Josh, though they all found a common thread when speaking of his compassion and care for anything with a heartbeat.
“He was always first to help and the last to leave,” said one friend.
“Through the darkest days of my life, Josh was always here for me,” said another.
His father, Roger Matthews, summed up the sentiments and adoration of so many when he said that Josh was a person that he could say “I am better for having met that person”.
“He cared genuinely. He never met a stranger, only new friends.”
An outpouring of grief flowed from the local community since Josh’s death, with 6183 people liking a Facebook page in his memory and hundreds of family and friends gathering at Lillydale Lake shortly after his death for a balloon release.
Rohan Dredge ran the service at Discovery Church and read out sentiments from those who could not attend, or could not speak on the day.
Coldstream Football Club hosted a wake after the funeral had finished.
