HEATH – Despite a partial heart, Matthew Offers Jr. spread love throughout the nine short years of his life.
In the time since his death, Offers’ family has been determined to continue pump life into those around him in his memory. Matthew Offers Sr. and his wife Heather will host their fourth American Red Cross blood drive on Saturday in their late son’s honor.
“He was born with half of a heart, and because of it, he developed the protein losing enteropathy where he would eat protein and it would go straight out through his body, which causes blood to get thicker, which causes strokes,” Offers said. “It’s just promoting awareness of these situations. There are so many kids in this area it’s impacted. … If it wasn’t for people donating blood, he wouldn’t have gotten the special infusions.”
The blood drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, 732 Hebron Road, Heath, where the family attended during Matthew’s life. Offers is partnering with Heath High School, where he coaches girls soccer.
Matthew Jr. was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital heart defect, which led to many complications during his life, including a stroke at 6 months old. He died Sept. 16, 2018, just two days after ninth birthday.
“It’s kind of a full circle moment in a weird way,” Offers said. “It’s emotional for me, knowing how this would have been Matthew’s first year in the high school. Before his second stroke, he was in kindergarten with the general population of students at that time. This would have been a special year.”
As of this week, more than 50 of the available 80 slots had been taken, already eclipsing the total donations a year ago. A limited supply of tickets to a Cedar Fair amusement park, which includes Cedar Point and Kings Island, are available to those donating.
With girls soccer season fast approaching, the event is a way for Offers to share his family’s story with his players. In turn, several volunteer to assist the Red Cross during the drive.
"Coach Offers has shown selflessness and compassion to organize the blood drive," said Emma Roush, a senior on the Heath girls soccer team. "Despite the heartbreaking loss of his son, he’s turned his grief into a powerful force for good. It has significantly impacted many lives and our team. While being on his team for four years, he has encouraged me to be a better player and person."
Matthew Jr. was a student at Garfield Elementary, and the Offers family felt a deep connection to the Heath community as it rallied around him during his fight. Matthew Jr. now would have been less than a month away from beginning his freshman year.
It is a reminder of what could have been each time Offers is at the high school or coaching down on Swank Field. It is why he ensures his son’s spirit continues to live each day.
“I practice directly next to the boys team,” Offers said. “Just to know there was a possibility — maybe he would have went to (coach Tim Ward) and the football side — to know this was his class and to see those little ones, I know some of the kids he hung out with. I tear up sometimes when I look out there when everyone is gone.”
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Matthew Offers Jr.’s impact continues in Heath with American Red Cross blood drive
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