GENERAL
In memory of Lawrence "Larry" Fobes King
1/13/1993 - 2/13/2008
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the snow on the mountain's rim,
I am the laughter in children's eyes,
I am the sand at the water's edge,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle Autumn rain,
When you awaken in the morning's hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight,
I am the star that shines at night,
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die.
MATTHEW'S LIFE
The life and death of Matthew Shepard changed the way we talk about and deal with hate in the United States. For the past eight years, the legacy of this remarkable young man's life has challenged and inspired millions of individuals to erase hate in all forms. Although his life was short, it continues to have a great impact on both young and old alike.
The story of Matthew Shepard begins on December 1, 1976 when he was born prematurely to Judy and Dennis Shepard in the small city of Casper, Wyoming. Matthew attended school in Casper until his junior year of high school when he finished his primary education at The American School in Switzerland. His experience abroad fueled his love for travel. He took the opportunity to explore Europe and learn multiple languages including German and Italian.
Matthew was an optimistic and accepting young man. He always put his family and friends first and had a special gift of relating to almost everyone. He was the type of person that was very approachable and always looked to new challenges. Matthew had a great passion for equality and always stood up for the acceptance of people's differences. Throughout his life he expressed his love for acting by becoming very active in community theater both on and off stage.
Photo by Gina van Hoof
Photo by Gina van Hoof
Matthew's college career took him to a number of different universities and later ended up studying political science, foreign relations and languages at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. He was extremely interested in politics and was chosen as the student representative for the Wyoming Environmental Council.
The horrific events that took place shortly after midnight on October 7, 1998 went against everything that Matthew embodied. Two men, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, lead him to a remote area east of Laramie where they demonstrated unimaginable acts of hate. Matthew was tied to a split-rail fence where he was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night. Almost 18 hours later he was found by a cyclist who initially mistook him for a scarecrow.
Matthew died on October 12 at 12:53 am at a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. His entire family was by his side for the last few days of his life. His funeral was attended by friends and family from around the world and gained the appropriate media attention that brought Matthew's story to the forefront of the fight against hate.
This tragedy helped the nation wake up to the fact that hate and discrimination still lives in our communities, our schools and our families. Although his life was cut short, the impact of his spirit is great.
THROUGH MATTHEW'S FAMILY'S EYES
THROUGH JUDY'S EYES
"Matthew had an interest in politics and current news events. He was quite adept at understanding complex issues and was equally adept at expressing his opinions on these issues. He had such hopes for the future, his future. He was always anxious for the next step - the next stage of his life to begin. Every new step meant new challenges, new friends and new experiences. He knew that judging people before knowing them was the loss of an opportunity. He never understood why everyone didn’t think that way. Matthew felt there could be nothing better on this earth than another friend."
THROUGH DENNIS' EYES
"Matt’s gift was people. He loved being with people, helping people, and making others feel good. The hope of a better world, free of harassment and discrimination because a person was different, kept him motivated. All his life, he felt the stabs of discrimination. Because of that, he was sensitive to other people’s feelings. He was naive to the extent that, regardless of the wrongs people did to him, he still had faith that they would change and become "nice". Matt trusted people, perhaps too much. Violence was not a part of his life until his senior year in high school. He would walk into a fight and try to break it up. He was the perfect negotiator. He could get two people talking to each other again as no one else could."
"Matt loved people and he trusted them. He could never understand how one person could hurt another, physically or verbally. They would hurt him, and he would give them another chance. This quality of seeing only good gave him friends around the world. He didn’t see size, race, intelligence, sex, religion, or the hundred other things that people use to make choices about people. All he saw was the person. All he wanted was to make another person his friend. All he wanted was to make another person feel good. All he wanted was to be accepted as an equal."
THROUGH MATTHEW'S FRIENDS' EYES
Fifteen of Matthew's friends from high school in Switzerland, as well as his high school adviser, joined hundreds of others at his memorial services. They left college, fought a blizzard, and came together one more time to say good-bye to Matt. Men and women coming from different countries, cultures, and religions thought enough of Matthew to drop everything and come to Wyoming - most of them for the first time. That’s why this Wyoming country boy wanted to major in foreign relations and languages. He wanted to continue making friends and, at the same time, help others. He wanted to make a difference. Did he? You tell us.
MEMORIALS
THE RING OF PEACE
Casper, Wyoming
"The Ring of Peace" is located on the grounds of the First United Methodist Church at the corner of Beech and 2nd Street in Casper, Wyoming. Chris Navarro sculptured this beautiful memorial, inspired by the death of Matthew and the victims of Columbine. The tall support columns give height to the sculpture so all can see. The circular design of the ring symbolizes both the individual and the ideals of social unity. The bell, supported by the ring, stands for liberty and will ring for the promise of tomorrow. White Doves flying out of the bell are the symbol of peace. They are flying as a unified group and give wings to the belief of hope and freedom.
The following poem by Chris Navarro is on the base of the sculpture:
THE RING OF PEACE
IF YOU BELIEVE IN HOPE
AND THE NEED FOR PEACE
STEP UP AND RING THE BELL
SO IT WILL SING
FOR THE PROMISE OF TOMORROW
MATTHEW SHEPARD HUMAN RIGHTS TRIANGLE PARK
West Hollywood, California
The Matthew Shepard Human Rights Triangle Park is located at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Crescent Heights Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood, California.
As a way to honor the memory of Matthew, GLBT civil rights leader and pioneer Morris Kight proposed naming this very special area of the city after him. On December 21, 1998, a little over two months after Matthew's death, the West Hollywood City Council granted his request.
Filled with individual monuments to those brave souls who have come and gone in the GLBT civil rights movement and community, this park commemorates not only Matthew's and their spirits, but a future filled with equality and hope.
FAQs ABOUT MATTHEW
Question: Where is Matthew Shepard buried?
Answer: While the Shepard Family does appreciate that individuals would like to pay their respects to Matthew, at this time the family keeps Matthew's final resting place private. However, there are some memorials to Matthew in the USA and one in Amsterdam that are open to the public. Learn more about the memorials >>
Question: Where exactly is the fence and how do I get there?
Answer: The fence's owners have removed it from its original location and we are unaware of where it currently is. Where the fence was is privately owned property and cannot be accessed without specific permission from its owners.
Question: Where do I find movies and books about Matt?
Answer: You can search Amazon.com for the most recent available movies and books. At this time, the Foundation does not endorse any books or movies except for the HBO movie version of "The Laramie Project". This website though, is currently the most accurate and extensive accounting of Matthew's life, murder, the aftermath and his legacy.
Question: Can I have a picture of Matthew?
Answer: Almost all photos of Matthew are copyrighted and require permission from the Matthew Shepard Foundation to be utilized. Please send an email to Matthew Matassa, Online Communication Director, explaining the need and eventual use of the photo. Requests will typically be answered within a week.
Question: Where is Matthew's family now?
Answer: Judy Shepard, Matthew's mother, is the Executive Director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation and lives in Wyoming when not traveling all over the country educating the public about how they can help erase hate in our society. Dennis Shepard, Matthew's father, still works overseas most of the year and his brother Logan is currently finishing up his college education.
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