Support Matt & Help Bring Him Home!
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I’ve created this Go Fund Me page to help one of my oldest and dearest friends Matt Braybon, following the sudden death of his partner Jonny in January of this year.
Tragically Jonny stopped breathing in his sleep the morning of January 29th, while Matt was in the kitchen making a cup of tea. Like that, in that instant, his life turned upside down.
Returning to the bedroom, Matt found Jonny not breathing and not-responsive. Literally fighting to save him, Matt called 999, performing CPR on his partner until emergency services arrived. Jonny was taken to hospital in a critical condition, where the decision was made to turn his life support off, just before midnight.
Those of you in Australia will know Matt from the work he did nationally as one of the best PR’s in the country in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. From FOXTEL and Network 10 to The ARC Factory and co-founding Hothouse Media events in Melbourne. Moving to London in 2005, he’s not had the easiest of paths but he has always pushed himself to the limits to make things happen.
Matt was always the one to pull in a favour for you, always the one with the good story and always with a glass of champagne for you. The amount of people he helped up the ladder and help realise their own success, through his good nature, goodwill and support cannot be numbered.
The events of this year have clearly left him very wounded, dealing with Grief, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and in very challenging life-circumstances. This is why we need your help.
Jonny’s death was catastrophic in every way you could imagine and as a result, Matts life-situation in London has been thrown into the balance. He needs help to recover and re-group, to eventually be able to find a path where he can rebuild his life and create a new future.
I’d never heard him so happy as to when he and Jonny came together - not in the 25+ years that I’ve known him. He’d finally found something that we all want in life and it filled my heart to know that. Whenever we spoke you could hear in both of their voices (and laughter), how suited they were and how they adored each other. Matt literally fought for Jonny’s life up until the very end.
Their shared obsession for food, just one of the things that bound them so closely. They had started a Private Chef & Catering business which they established and was growing quickly. Private Chefs and caterers, The Bear Chefs had a permanent residency at an independent Theatre in Central London, Private UHNWI Clients and a growing list of Corporate clients in The City.
Juggling things while growing a business as anyone who is self employed will know is tough, and Jonny’s death saw the business very quickly crumble. Matt, in deep grief, returned to work too soon and the pressure was too much. He had to let things go, he had no partner by his side, he had no assistance.
In the past 7 months, he’s lost his partner, the business they shared and the house they lived in together. As those of you who have faced difficult situations before know, when you are already vulnerable life then tends to keep coming with more blows. Matt has had many situations this year that have pushed the limits of what anyone could handle. He’s gone from living with his partner in their home to sleeping on sofas and of no fixed address.
Right now the situation he is facing is so grave that he cannot even see a future or work out where to rebuild. I’d like to raise money for him to be able to breathe, recover and ideally make his way back to home to Australia with a platform to get back on his feet. Anything you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
Tragically Jonny stopped breathing in his sleep the morning of January 29th, while Matt was in the kitchen making a cup of tea. Like that, in that instant, his life turned upside down.
Returning to the bedroom, Matt found Jonny not breathing and not-responsive. Literally fighting to save him, Matt called 999, performing CPR on his partner until emergency services arrived. Jonny was taken to hospital in a critical condition, where the decision was made to turn his life support off, just before midnight.
Those of you in Australia will know Matt from the work he did nationally as one of the best PR’s in the country in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. From FOXTEL and Network 10 to The ARC Factory and co-founding Hothouse Media events in Melbourne. Moving to London in 2005, he’s not had the easiest of paths but he has always pushed himself to the limits to make things happen.
Matt was always the one to pull in a favour for you, always the one with the good story and always with a glass of champagne for you. The amount of people he helped up the ladder and help realise their own success, through his good nature, goodwill and support cannot be numbered.
The events of this year have clearly left him very wounded, dealing with Grief, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and in very challenging life-circumstances. This is why we need your help.
Jonny’s death was catastrophic in every way you could imagine and as a result, Matts life-situation in London has been thrown into the balance. He needs help to recover and re-group, to eventually be able to find a path where he can rebuild his life and create a new future.
I’d never heard him so happy as to when he and Jonny came together - not in the 25+ years that I’ve known him. He’d finally found something that we all want in life and it filled my heart to know that. Whenever we spoke you could hear in both of their voices (and laughter), how suited they were and how they adored each other. Matt literally fought for Jonny’s life up until the very end.
Their shared obsession for food, just one of the things that bound them so closely. They had started a Private Chef & Catering business which they established and was growing quickly. Private Chefs and caterers, The Bear Chefs had a permanent residency at an independent Theatre in Central London, Private UHNWI Clients and a growing list of Corporate clients in The City.
Juggling things while growing a business as anyone who is self employed will know is tough, and Jonny’s death saw the business very quickly crumble. Matt, in deep grief, returned to work too soon and the pressure was too much. He had to let things go, he had no partner by his side, he had no assistance.
In the past 7 months, he’s lost his partner, the business they shared and the house they lived in together. As those of you who have faced difficult situations before know, when you are already vulnerable life then tends to keep coming with more blows. Matt has had many situations this year that have pushed the limits of what anyone could handle. He’s gone from living with his partner in their home to sleeping on sofas and of no fixed address.
Right now the situation he is facing is so grave that he cannot even see a future or work out where to rebuild. I’d like to raise money for him to be able to breathe, recover and ideally make his way back to home to Australia with a platform to get back on his feet. Anything you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
Organizer
Judy Wynne
Organizer
Skennars Head, NSW