Matthew Kevin Caramba Marfell born with blue eyes red hair and spina bifida,
Today is the most difficult day in our family unit, we gather to say farewell to our Son, Brother ,Grand son and Partner. To those of you here and elsewhere who know Matt you already are aware of the type of person he was and these words you will hear are already in your memories. To those who were not as fortunate, these words will give you a sense of the type of young man our son has been, often described as a gentle soul. He was pure of heart and had great sensitivity for the world around him.
He had a way with people that made them feel comfortable around him and infected others to gravitate toward him. He has taught us how to love and his triumphs in his life have showed us his strengths.
Matt exuded kindness and pulled generosity and altruism out from everyone he touched. He never judged or put anyone down and always saw the best in everything; And to him everyone was his best friend. And since his early years, he showed respect and caring for all around him.
Even through the experiences of his hospital stays he never once failed to take it in his stride and solider on or say why me!
We remember once as he was about to go in for a 28 hour operation to have his bladder rebuilt he ask his Dr, David Mason if he could pierce his ear while he was under so it wouldn’t hurt and on been told no, he hadn’t asked his parents. Matt made him come back out to us all upset in the waiting room and ask us to which we also said NO. He took every opportunity after that to moan about not getting his ear done pain free so much so his father dragged him down to a shop and had it done, the ear ring lasted 3 weeks before he lost it! Matt was very good at losing things Phones ,bikes ,keys clothes, fishing rods, wallets ID and his ability to con a taxi rides home are famous, as is how he got his name Munta no doubt to be told today by a mate or too.
Matt’s greatest joy was his family and he was so proud of his older siblings tagging along and adding himself to their Friends list he loved all the excitement of being included with no care of what his siblings thought of it all, that was just tuff for them …
Matts other love was fishing and the sea he often went out fishing with his dad and worked hard he was also very handy to send along the wharf to chat to all the other fisherman and come back supplied with all the hot spots and with what the others had caught as no one was able to get away from his charm.
His proudest moment was the last job he did with his dad on the Rena as rescue boat for the salvage crew he nicked named it the dinosaur as it made lots of noises as it was breaking up on the reef. It made him glow with pride, just him and dad doing it together and ringing mum to order food drops as dad and him were hungry!
To everyone, we ask that you hold your new baby close to you, squeeze the hand of your loved one and gently kiss your children on their cheek; never let the mundane obligations of life distract you from the cherished gift of your family. They say, "Hang on to every moment - before you know it will be gone." Unfortunately, they are right. Life and all that goes with it is over before you know it.
To our son, we bid you farewell. It has been an amazing journey we wouldn’t have missed it for anything we will be lost without you, you were our world. Do not be sad for Matthew as this will be his hardest day as he could not stand to see anybody upset.
Row hard and know now that the wind is finally at your back - rest now in your hammock in the sun.
and try not to burn the bbq meat. So long Matt love Mum & Dad