Matthew Boyd, a former Freeport High School football player and a bright presence in his community, has died after a long struggle with mental health.
Family confirmed the loss and asked for privacy as they grieve and make arrangements.
His mother, LaToya Boyd, wrote with raw heartbreak. She said their last dinner together is now her final memory and begged to be woken from the nightmare.
“My Oldest King Matthew Boyd who would have thought this would be our last dinner together. Matt come wake me up from this nightmare.”
She added how empty the new year felt without him: “The first time in 22 years I brought the new year in without you physically here. I can’t even grasp the fact that you are gone my child.”
His father, Trevor Moore, posted how stunned and lost he was. “Can’t believe mental health took my son. This is so hard I don’t know what to do. Just know I love you with all my heart Matthew Boyd until we see each other again, my son.”
Tons of Prayers for Matthew and his family
Friends and family filled social posts with short memories, childhood jokes, and steady offers to help. Sabrina Hall remembered the small, funny things that stick: “Mattchew that’s how you use to pronounce your own name.. Fly High. Gone But You will never be forgotten.”
Ash Ranae spoke for many when she wrote about how Matthew helped others.
She wrote, “Matthew was one of the many reasons I kept going when things were hard in my life. He was always the one to make every situation gleam with happiness and no matter what he was always there for everyone.”
The comment threads read like a neighborhood lifting a family up, “sending prayers,” “so sorry,” and dozens offering practical help or an ear.
People who grew up with Matthew recalled him as a loyal friend, a teammate, a kid who could make a room lighter when things got heavy.
Sabrina Hall added, “This definitely hit different. We go back since Matthew Boyd was first potty training, running through the house. Snotty nose and all, yelling Shabreen. “Mattchew,” that’s how you used to pronounce your own name. Fly High.”
LaToya has asked people to be mindful as the family grieves. She said she will share funeral details when she’s ready and asked anyone with photos or videos to tag her so the family can collect memories.
That request is simple. Give them space, and when you post memories, tag LaToya so the family can gather them.
Mental health was part of Matthew’s story. Those close to him are asking for compassion, not judgment.
Comments repeatedly urged anyone struggling to reach out for help, to call somebody, to not sit with it alone. The posts mix grief with a reminder to check on friends and family.
Right now, the family is leaning on prayers, memories, and the people around them. They’ve asked for privacy while they mourn.
The flood of short messages and offers of help, matters, food, a ride, a call, the small things that actually hold people up.
Matthew’s life mattered to the people who knew him. His mother’s words, his father’s shock, and the stream of replies make that clear.
He made people laugh, he carried others through rough patches, and now those people are trying to give something back.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please reach out to a trusted person or local support service right now.
Mental health is not a joke and never should be. A call, text, or visit can make a difference.
Rest in peace, Matthew Boyd. You’ll be missed.
