Matthew Ahl was our little brother, the youngest of nine and the first to pass. He passed away unexpectedly on January 18th of this year. He was only 60 and leaves behind his partner, Karen, and three children. We are all shocked and heartbroken at his loss. I hope you take a moment to read his story and learn why we’re doing this GoFundMe.

 

Why we need your help

Matt has a son from his first marriage, working hard to take care of his own young family. It’s his partner Karen and their two daughters that need our help now. Matt met Karen 28 years ago and they’ve been together ever since, raising their two girls. Both girls have complex medical issues and needs that required Karen to be their full-time caregiver, while Matt was the breadwinner. With Matt gone, his family presently has no source of income.

Matt worried constantly about his family’s future care and situation. His sudden passing was his nightmare scenario. He had just received their marriage license two weeks before, and they were finally getting married. They were just waiting for their wedding rings to arrive. In a cruel twist of fate, those rings arrived the day Matt passed. It is criminal that New York State doesn’t recognize common law marriage. After 28 years, Karen has no spousal benefits, standing or income beyond what Social Security provides to her daughters, and that doesn’t pay the bills. Karen has a lot to figure out and adapt to in the coming months, and she will, but in the meantime, we’re asking if you can help her family with a donation that would go to covering their living expenses for the next few months.

 

Who our brother was to us and so many others

Matt had boundless energy and worked every day of his life starting at age 14 until he had to take disability a couple of years ago. Working for the phone company is where he spent most of his career. He was a tireless worker with high standards. No matter what Matt was working on, he was always reaching out and helping anyone around him that needed it, whether at his job or in his community. There were things we only just learned, like Matt secretly collecting donations for the local food bank. He was a good man with a great heart. All he ever wanted was to get the whole family together at his place. He called us all the time, more than anyone else, always wanting to know how our families were doing.

 

Matt's 9-11 experience

Matt was chosen to be one of only two telephone technicians at Ground Zero to run communications lines between the headquarter tents of the first responders. As they moved metal off The Pile, the lines would be severed, and Matt would run them again. He did this for 48 hours straight. He was proud of his contribution, but it affected him deeply emotionally AND physically. Matt was part of the 9-11 Health Care Fund due to this, and his cause of death was possibly related to his service. Matt was there within a few hours, right amongst the terrible destruction of The Pile, and stayed to get an essential job done. That makes him our 9-11 Hero.

 

Anything you can do will be greatly appreciated

Whether you’re a family member, a friend or someone who just came across our page, please know that any amount would go a long way and be greatly appreciated. Any donations we receive will go directly to covering the bills and living expenses Matt’s family faces – food, utilities, medical supplies, fuel, etc. $5, $10, any amount is greatly appreciated. If you can’t spare a donation at this time, we do understand. Thanks for taking the time to read about our little brother.

 

With Deepest Appreciation,

Jay Ahl & The Ahl Family