‘Someone who never stopped caring.’ TNT columnist Matt Driscoll dies unexpectedly at 43

His was a voice that could express the joy in everyday life, help heal a community and bring reason to the most contentious political debates. On Sunday, News Tribune columnist and opinion editor Matt Driscoll died unexpectedly at his Tacoma home. He was 43.

“We’ve lost a friend and beloved colleague, but Tacoma and Pierce County have lost someone who never stopped caring,” said longtime TNT writer and editor Sean Robinson on Monday.

Driscoll suffered an apparent medical emergency and could not be revived. An official cause of death has yet to be determined.

Matthew Sean Driscoll was born Oct. 19, 1980, in Denver, Colorado, to Judie Kidd and Frank Driscoll. They moved to Bellevue, Washington, when Driscoll was 7. The family, with younger sister Kelly, eventually moved to Edgewood.

After graduating from Puyallup High School, Driscoll studied at Bates Technical College in an audio sound technology program in 2002. Along with his sister, he went on to The Evergreen State College, where he graduated in 2007.

It was at Evergreen where he met Jennifer Boutilier in an American Studies class.

“The humor, the witty banter and wry observations are what brought us together,” Jennifer Driscoll said Monday. “We really clicked in that way. That was one of his strengths, one of the things we most enjoyed about each other.”

The couple married in 2007.

A journalist’s journalist

Driscoll began his journalism career freelancing for Tacoma’s alternative weekly newspaper, the Weekly Volcano , when he was 21.

“He wrote about high school bands as if he graduated from NYU with a journalism degree,” former Volcano publisher Ron Swarner said Monday. “He was a true talent who helped put Tacoma’s music scene on the map.”

Driscoll and his wife moved to Portland so he could write for that city’s alternative weekly, the Portland Mercury . They eventually returned to Tacoma so he could work full time at the Volcano, eventually becoming its editor.

“(Journalism) was the only thing he could see himself doing,” Jennifer Driscoll said Monday. “It was the only thing he loved. And what he loved about it was doing his best to try to tell people’s stories that may otherwise be neglected. It was all about amplifying the voices of the underdogs and serving the community by telling these stories.”

After a stint working for the Seattle Weekly , Driscoll came to the TNT in 2015, hired to replace longtime local columnist Peter Callaghan. With the 2012 departure of columnist Kathleen Merryman, Driscoll was the sole news-side staff columnist.

“He passed that test quickly and endeared himself to all of us with his work ethic and compassion, making the role his own and becoming a fixture, diving deeply into our communities, talking to everyone, writing about everything,” Robinson said.

Liberal

An unabashed liberal, Driscoll was often a lightning rod for readers who disagreed with his takes on politics and social issues.

In his work, Driscoll could cut to the heart of a matter and be self-reflective all in the same column.

“This column makes me nervous,” he wrote soon after his arrival at the TNT. The column followed the racist-fueled shooting at a Black church in Charleston, South Carolina. “I worry that allowing a white guy from The News Tribune to have a platform on matters of racism, while the African Americans who are living with it don’t have the same platform, is disingenuous and problematic.”

“What impressed me most about Matt was his empathy,” Robinson said. “He believed in hope. He believed in people. He was never sour, even when I was. He always kept his eyes and ears open for the less fortunate, even as he built relationships with local leaders walking the corridors of power. His loss is immeasurable.”

Fellow editor Adam Lynn agreed.

“He connected deeply with his subjects and subject matter because he cared so much about what he was doing,” Lynn said.

Driscoll never wanted to upset anyone, his wife said.

“But he knew that in order to tell important stories and speak the truth and say things that were provocative enough to get people really thinking about what’s going on, he was going to wind up bearing the brunt of a lot of ridicule and hate mail,” she said. “And he took it in stride always. It’s part of the job.”

In the newsroom

Driscoll’s wry sense of humor was a mainstay in the TNT newsroom, and his favorite subject of derision was himself. He would often express dismay at a particularly pointed barb thrown at him by a critic — and then laugh about it.

Once, a reader signed off a ridicule-filled critique against him with the refrain, “Your stories are total pond scum. You look like a dick in those glasses, too.” Former TNT reporter Kate Martin artistically cross-stitched the words, including a pair of black framed eyeglasses, which Driscoll then framed and hung in his office.

Driscoll took the time to occasionally charge a homeless woman’s phone in the newspaper’s office, according to TNT photo editor Pete Caster.

“Matt had this deep empathy for other people in tough spots that some reporters don’t have,” Caster said. “He could go up and talk to anyone anywhere at any time and had an ability to make them feel comfortable, like they were just talking to a friend.”

His magnanimity extended to the newsroom.

“He made sure new reporters felt welcome,” said editor Alexis Krell. “He worked incredibly hard and was never too busy to offer advice and words of encouragement. His sense of humor and moral compass are some of the many things that made him special.”

“He was obviously a force at The News Tribune — the face of the TNT for many — but never acted like he was too cool to approach for questions, advice or just office banter,” senior reporter Shea Johnson said. “He was incredibly down to Earth, witty and kind.”

Tacoma booster

“For me, Matt Driscoll is Tacoma,” said TNT president and editor Stephanie Pedersen. “He is Pierce County. It’s hard to separate the two. He loved his family deeply, and he also loved this community. He often had critiques he would probably be OK with describing as harsh at times, but his words and emotions came from a place where he wanted his hometown community to be better and to continue striving for that. Matt’s passing is a devastating loss for his family and our community.”

On Monday, community leaders reacted to Driscoll’s death.

“I’m heartbroken to hear of Matt’s passing,” Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier said. “While we didn’t always agree with one another, he was always honest, straightforward and articulate in presenting his point of view. My deepest condolences to his wife, children, TNT colleagues and everyone who loved him. His voice and passion will be sorely missed.”

Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards said she was deeply saddened by Driscoll’s death, calling him a journalist dedicated to Tacoma.

“His insightful reporting and passionate storytelling not only informed us but also brought us closer as a community,” she said in a statement to The News Tribune. “Matt was more than just a reporter; he was a friend to many and a true advocate for the people of Tacoma. His contributions will be dearly missed, and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

“Tacoma still has the Rainiers and the Narrows Bridge, but our City of Destiny has a hole in our hearts at the loss of Matt Driscoll,” Gov. Jay Inslee tweeted Monday evening. “What a big heart and an insightful pen he gave us. I miss him already.”

Family man

Reflecting his Colorado roots, Driscoll was a die-hard Broncos fan. He took great joy when his team won the Super Bowl in 2016.

Recently, Driscoll had been working long hours interviewing and endorsing candidates for public office. But he took time to post on social media about last weekend’s Porchfest.

“Porchfest has become my absolute favorite day of the year in Tacoma — hands down. Not even close,” he said. “Stoked to show off our neighborhood this weekend. The excitement is palpable.”

“He just had one of the best weekends ever. He was ridiculously happy,” Jennifer said. “He was really thrilled about Tacoma and just happy with life.”

The couple’s three children, daughter Lily, 17, son August, 13, and daughter Alice, 9, were a large part of Driscoll’s life, his wife said. Driscoll’s social media posts were mostly about them, their accomplishments and time together. He’d recently been boasting that Lily was becoming a fan of the same music he listened to.

“He worked a lot,” Jennifer Driscoll said. “But when he wasn’t at work, it was all about being a family man. They had a huge impact on his sense of purpose in the world. They were everything.”

A GoFundMe account has been created to help the family. August, who is disabled, requires 24-hour care.

Services are pending.