It's Matt's birthday and he isn't here for it.  That makes me really sad. 

Our Birthdays are 4 days apart and when we were in High School we used to get together and watch movies all night for our birthday.   

This was when movies were on VHS.  Do you remember "Be Kind, Rewind"?  

We would pick a day to celebrate that would work best.  And we would go to the video store together to pick out the 5 or 6 movies we were going to watch.  I remember it as usually 5.  We got a variety of movie styles and after a while we got good at knowing what to pick out and what order to watch them in. (We did all night movie nights on more than just our birthdays.)  

We had it down to a "science".  We watched the first movie.  Then we had pizza.  If we were lucky it was homemade pizza that Vel Rae made! (the best!) After that we just settled in with snacks and watched movies until the sun came up. It was a lot of fun. I never was able to watch movies all night long like that with anyone else. 

There was something fun and unique about staying up all night until the sun rose again and still watching movies. The deep movies seemed deeper somehow. The comedies funnier. The snacks tastier. 

We had some really great discussions about the movies.  And sometime the discussions were not even about the movies. We really connected.  

And it was a lot easier to stay up for 36 hours when we were in our late teens and early 20's.  

I will always miss Matt.  And I will always miss him a bit more on his birthday.  I know thats not original or anything.  But it sure is true.

Matthew and I were dear friends at Fargo South high school. Sharing a love of music and both being a bit "theatrical" in nature (just a bit!), we got along like peanut butter and chocolate. We even called one another "big sister" and "little brother". Matt was a touchstone for me as well as someone I could always count on to cheer me up. Just the sight of his cherubic face would make me feel better. No one could dry my tears like Matthew. We also laughed and laughed together over one silly thing or another until the tears came. We absolutely adored one another.

The news of his death saddens me so much. The world has lost such a bright spark, and a thoroughly loving and good man. It's hard to think of a world without Matt. I find myself asking, "Why God? Why did you have to call THIS beloved one home? Why so soon?" I think about this and then I think of my silly story as Matthew would want me to, and I feel better.

In high school Matt had a part-time job doing singing telegrams. He was either the guy in the tuxedo with the rose, or the guy in the gorilla suit, assigned to scare the dickens out of people. Of course he took full advantage of this -- which means you've probably figured out my story by now. One time he had a gig at West Acres wearing the gorilla suit. Being Matthew, he said, let's put the costume on FIRST, and drive there so we can see other drivers' reactions! Oh my goodness, did we laugh, it's amazing we made it to the mall in one piece. So picture a man in a gorilla suit driving a tiny blue Yugo down 13th avenue. I was sitting in the passenger seat trying to act perfectly normal. Oh, it was hilarious. So many people were scared, it's also a wonder we didn't cause a fender bender. Amazing too, were the citizens of Fargo who looked as though seeing a gorilla driving a Yugo to West Acres was a perfectly normal thing to do, which made us laugh even harder.

Now you've got your wings Matthew, I promise to try and laugh more, and be silly, as you would want. I will never forget you. I love you so much. Love from "Big Sis" xxx

I first met Matthew Burkholder my Junior or Senior year in High School when I attended a play that my cousin Toby was in. I don't recall if it was "Ten Little Indians" or "Confetti!", but I am sure it was both. I loved both shows. I loved theatre, and seeing theatre of that quality performed by high school kids (Gwen should be commended for the quality of her program). I was totally taken aback by Confetti. And by the improv, especially Aaron and Matthew. They were so good together. I was able to fall in with them, and then met them again when we were cast in "The House of Blue Leaves". 

1991 was a glorious summer.

I am afraid I don't remember the year,  I know it was while we went to South High.  Matt's parents wanted to take Matt to the twin cities for his birthday.  But Matt wouldn't enjoy the trip as much without a friend along.  So, I got to go along as Matt's birthday gift.  

We were staying at a downtown Radison.  I think.  I admit some of the specifics are gone.  I am not good with names.  But it was the fanciest place I had ever stayed.  We were all in the same hotel room but there was a different room for Kieth and Vel Rae to stay in while we stayed on the couch pull out bed.  Which was still VERY comfortable.  

And we went out to eat at amazing restaurants that were so expensive that I was afraid to order anything.  "Just don't look at the prices.  Order what you like." Matt said, encouragingly.  It was hard!  Everything was so pricey.  But it did taste good!

We went to a restaurant that had live jazz music playing while we ate.  And they were good, whoever they were.  I remember when I handed the menu to the waitress and she asked if I wanted the small or large size fries, I answered large.  Thinking it was like at McDonald's or something. And she brought me this huge basket of fries!  A Family size order.  I was appalled, but they just laughed and we put it in the middle of the table and everyone ate some.  

They were very good at making me feel comfortable.

We also ate at a Japanese restaurant.  A first time for me.  You know,  where they cook the food at the table for you.  It was incredible.  And much easier because I didn't see a menu, I just told them what kind of meat I liked.  

And the views were great at these restaurants too. 

We went to Valley Fair.  Also a first for me.  I don't remember details but I remember it being very, VERY fun.  

A lot of the trip is a blur in my memories.  But even to this day, I have to say it was the best vacation I have ever been on.  All thanks to Matt.  (And his parents, of course.)

I met Matt my first day of High School.  I was overwhelmed.  I had come from a grade school that was very small.  My class had 7 people in it.  And my new high school was Fargo South High.  With hundreds.  It was overwhelming, to say the least.

I had made it through the day (barely) and I had one class left.  Theatre, the one I was looking forward to the most.  I entered the theatre and there were students already there and no teacher yet.  

The other students scared me.  They seemed intimidating to me.  In fact, I decided to leave school and go home.  But as I headed for the exit, the teacher came in.  With Matt beside her.  

So I was stuck.  

During that class, I met Matthew.  Or Matt, as I knew him.  We quickly formed a close friendship.  Which not only helped me enjoy that class, but also helped me through the rest of school.  He made it much easier to go to school, knowing I had a friend waiting there for me.