Matthieu was viewed as a hard-working soldier and team leader by his commanding officer. Those traits were evident at an early age as he was protective of his younger brothers, put the needs of others first, and preferred to skip family vacations in order to work.

His hard work also shone through when he entered basic training three weeks late. He began in the reserves in Rouyn-Noranda, but soon determined this would be his career. He transferred to the regular forces and was faced with the challenge of having to make up for lost time. He was determined and goal-driven and rose to that challenge! At his graduation ceremony, he was singled out as someone with immense quality, perseverance, motivation, courage and team spirit.

That was the way he was with his family and friends. His strong personality came with a big heart, a desire to help, a great sense of judgment, and the ability to respect the choices made by others.

He loved everything with a motor and wheels. He spent time with his four-wheeler and motorcycle at derbies. When he first saw a light armoured vehicle, he swore he was going to drive one. When he got his license to operate one, he was ecstatic.

But Matthieu wasn’t all about responsibility. He knew how to balance work with play. He enjoyed his time with his friends, whether he was outdoors four-wheeling, snowboarding and snowmobiling or playing games like Xbox and paintballing.

Matthieu’s career choice was not a surprise to his family. At a young age, he decided he wanted to be a knight in shining armour. He simply put that desire into modern terms and knew that his place was to serve in Afghanistan. He wanted to make a difference.

By Shari Narine

Portrait by Cindy Revell