Matthew's update!
'Matthew, we will miss you forever'
FRENCH CAMP -- Matthew VanGelderen, a 16-year-old junior at East Union High School, passed away Saturday afternoon in the intensive care unit at San Joaquin General Hospital.
"We are sad to notify everyone that Matthew passed away this afternoon," longtime family friend Richard Ingram said on the website he created for Matthew Saturday.
Matthew was hospitalized after a helmet-to-chest collision during a high school football game on Friday, Sept. 16 at Bear Creek High's Podesto Stadium.
He was blocking on special teams with 2 minutes, 53 seconds left in the first half when his head slammed into the chest of an unidentified Bruin player.
Matthew was conscious for 10 minutes after the accident and spoke with paramedics briefly, but slipped into a coma en route to the hospital.
He remained that way until Saturday afternoon.
Rex Osborn, the public information officer for the City of Manteca, confirmed his passing Saturday night at 8 p.m.
Matthew was intelligent, athletic and liked by all, East Union principal John Alba said during Monday's press conference.
East Union athletic director Bill Stricker said he will certainly be missed.
"Everybody who knew him liked him," a grief-stricken Stricker said Saturday evening. "He will be missed by a lot of kids because of the nice young man he was.
"Right now, we're going to have a lot of hurting people, and hopefully when the pain goes away, we'll remember the good things... We'll remember all of the postive influence he had on people's lives."
Ingram and Stricker thanked the community for their overwhelming outpour of support in the eight days Matthew was hospitalized.
"I'm proud of our community and our kids, and how they've supported Matthew and his family," Stricker said. "You find out a lot about people in adversity, and the whole community came out showin a lot of class and character."
The Manteca community, and much of the Central Valley, rallied to aid Matthew and the VanGelderen family in their moment of need.
There were donation drives, heart-felt cards and window messages, and thousands upon thousands of warm prayers.
Ingram said the VanGelderen's will need that now more than ever.
"I thank you for all the support you have shown this wonderful family," he said on his website. "And I pray that in the coming days we can all come together and support them even more. ... Matthew, we will miss you forever."
Osborn said that the family is asking for their privacy, and that a prepared statement will be released to the public today.
A memorial service, he said, will be held later this week.
FRENCH CAMP -- Matthew VanGelderen, a 16-year-old junior at East Union High School, passed away Saturday afternoon in the intensive care unit at San Joaquin General Hospital.
"We are sad to notify everyone that Matthew passed away this afternoon," longtime family friend Richard Ingram said on the website he created for Matthew Saturday.
Matthew was hospitalized after a helmet-to-chest collision during a high school football game on Friday, Sept. 16 at Bear Creek High's Podesto Stadium.
He was blocking on special teams with 2 minutes, 53 seconds left in the first half when his head slammed into the chest of an unidentified Bruin player.
Matthew was conscious for 10 minutes after the accident and spoke with paramedics briefly, but slipped into a coma en route to the hospital.
He remained that way until Saturday afternoon.
Rex Osborn, the public information officer for the City of Manteca, confirmed his passing Saturday night at 8 p.m.
Matthew was intelligent, athletic and liked by all, East Union principal John Alba said during Monday's press conference.
East Union athletic director Bill Stricker said he will certainly be missed.
"Everybody who knew him liked him," a grief-stricken Stricker said Saturday evening. "He will be missed by a lot of kids because of the nice young man he was.
"Right now, we're going to have a lot of hurting people, and hopefully when the pain goes away, we'll remember the good things... We'll remember all of the postive influence he had on people's lives."
Ingram and Stricker thanked the community for their overwhelming outpour of support in the eight days Matthew was hospitalized.
"I'm proud of our community and our kids, and how they've supported Matthew and his family," Stricker said. "You find out a lot about people in adversity, and the whole community came out showin a lot of class and character."
The Manteca community, and much of the Central Valley, rallied to aid Matthew and the VanGelderen family in their moment of need.
There were donation drives, heart-felt cards and window messages, and thousands upon thousands of warm prayers.
Ingram said the VanGelderen's will need that now more than ever.
"I thank you for all the support you have shown this wonderful family," he said on his website. "And I pray that in the coming days we can all come together and support them even more. ... Matthew, we will miss you forever."
Osborn said that the family is asking for their privacy, and that a prepared statement will be released to the public today.
A memorial service, he said, will be held later this week.