Marine veteran's last Facebook post goes viral after fatal motorcycle crash
The reflective post struck a cord on social media and has been shared over 19,000 times on Facebook
January 6, 2016
M1 Staff
A former U.S. Marine was killed hours after posting an inspirational and uplifting Facebook post for the future on New Year’s Eve.
“Anything can happen in 1 day,” Matthew DeReemer wrote in his post. “And I really don’t know where I’ll end up tonight, but I do know where I wind up is where I’m meant to be.”
He was killed while riding his motorcycle just before 8 p.m. in Seminole, Florida.
Steven Clarke was charged with DUI manslaughter after he failed to yield right of way after a left turn and hit DeRemer on his motorcycle. DeRemer died at the scene.
Hours before, he had written a final Facebook post, reflecting on the past year and looking at the promise of the future:
“Last day of 2015!!!! For me I’ll be meditating through all I do, on this entire year. I’ve lost, I’ve gained, family is closer and tougher than ever before, loved ones lost, and new friends found. There has been many times where I’ve been found on my knees in prayer for hours (relentless) and other times leading a group of people in prayer, my faith (that I love to share) is an everyday awakening (to me) that people, lives, and circumstances can change for the better OVER TIME. I look back 2015’s huge challenges that I’ve overcome, shared with others, and have once again found myself… To say thank you and BRING ON 2016, much works to be done!
And I really don’t know where I’ll end up tonight but I do know where I windup is where I’m meant to be.”
His mother, Julie DeRemer, told ABC News he was a positive person who enjoyed writing uplifting, encouraging words online, and would text his parents each day to say, “Good morning,” she said.
“He always looked to the future instead of the past,” his father, Michael DeRemer, told ABC News.
DeRemer had recently gotten a job at the Belleair Surgery Center in Clearwater, Florida, last week as a surgical technologist.
“He liked to make a difference in somebody’s life,” Julie DeRemer said. “He was phenomenal in his skill set.”
His mother says she doesn’t hold a grudge against the man charged with killing her son.
“You’ve got live every day to the fullest, just as his post said,” she said.
DeRemer’s funeral will be held on January 16 at a church in St. Petersburg.
https://www.military1.com/veterans/article/1571570014-marine-veterans-last-facebook-post-goes-viral-after-fatal-motorcycle-crash
