We are heartbroken to share the news that after years of battling Diamond Blackman Anemia, heart issues, and most recently months of battling various illnesses, our beloved nephew Matthew Adam Mao Vroman passed away on Sunday May 26 surrounded by his family.
Matthew was loved deeply by his parents, Tim and Kathi Vroman, his sister Hannah and her husband Robert Kinley, niece and godchild Emma Kinley, brother Christopher and his wife Jamie (Rauch) Vroman, grandparents Ray and Dottie Kilcoyne, “Auntie” Dottiann and “Uncle B”.
Brian Chevalier, Uncle Pete Vroman, cousins Caitlin and Scott McCown (and Brian and Vera), Colin and Jackie Chevalier (and Liam) and Casey Chevalier and Dylan King, and many dear friends who loved him deeply and supported him always.
Matthew truly was a young man who was able to make the most of his 25+ years in this world…. From cheating death twice in China before he found his forever home in Georgia, to being an altar server at Transfiguration Catholic Church, to working hard to get through school at Furtah Prep and GNTC, to learning to fly and doing his solo flights and all things airplane related.
To slaying the fishing grounds in GA, NH, Alaska and Roatan, to working so hard to complete his schooling to obtain his Aviation Maintenance Technician FAA license and finding the opportunity to work in a field that he loved- as an aviation mechanic at S&S Aviation at Cherokee County airport.
He was able to work hard to push through lack of sleep, restless legs, blood transfusions every 3 weeks, and all the other challenges to live his best life.
At a personal level, Matthew had a passion for the outdoors- be it venturing out flying planes, fishing, captaining the boat on the lake, or building campfires in Blue Ridge.
He thrived on travel and his favorite place to be was visiting family in NH (with fresh lobsters/seafood) — an annual highlight that he always looked forward to. We are so grateful that family and friends in all these spots loved him deeply.
For those that had a chance to be close to Matthew, he had a great sense of humor and deep love and care for his friends and family. Matthew was so proud to be chosen as Emma’s godfather- and loved her with all his heart.
He would often be quiet and not verbalize a bunch- but when he did; in conversation, though, he never missed a detail and there was sure to be a zinger coming from him later on.
His constant back and forth with his best friend Tia was always made us smile. Matthew HATED getting his picture taken, and we have so many beautiful shots of Tia terrorizing Matthew in a pic just to get a smile/chuckle.
Thank you to all who played a role in creating and supporting a wonderful 25+ years for Matthew. Our boy will be greatly missed by so many; but he will always be foremost in our hearts.
We will be having a very small private family ceremony shortly. In lieu of any flowers; please feel free to drop a note of love or donation in Matthew’s name to the Diamond Blackfan Anemia Foundation, PO Box 1092, West Seneca, NY 14224 or https://dbafoundation.org/donate-now/
