Matthew’s Story

Nobody can forget Matthew after meeting him. Standing at 7’2” tall, Matthew has a towering presence and an unforgettable personality.

Matthew lives on his own in his apartment in Montgomery County, Maryland — and it’s truly his castle. Matthew’s home is filled with things that bring him joy , like pictures of his family and figurines of his favorite television characters, such as Popeye and Pee Wee Herman. It’s also the place where he enjoys his favorite pastimes, such as spending time on his computer, watching his favorite vintage television programs, and getting weather and trivia from his Alexa device. 

But he doesn’t always need the device, as he has an incredible memory himself, with the ability to quickly recall historical dates and facts., “Matthew frequently gives Alexa a run for her money,” says Karen, his SCI Supports Planner.

Matthew received a plan of service, tailored requests detailing his wants and needs, through Service Coordination Inc. in August 2020, and he receives caregiving support from a local personal assistance services agency as part of his plan. Matthew shares how much he likes his caregiver, and his mom, 

According to Matthew’s mom Carolyn, Matthew could not live on his own without these supports. Matthew was diagnosed with autism and receives personal assistance support, mostly with meal shopping, meal preparation, cleaning, and medication reminders. 

“These supports are essential for Matthew, and he’s happy to share how thankful he is for his caregiver,” Carolyn said.

“Besides increased independence, Matthew benefits from increased socialization and access to the community,” Carolyn replied “Equally, Matthew is exposed to new opportunities and gets to show off his knowledge, something which gives him a great sense of pride.”

Karen states that she also notices a sense of pride in Matthew. 

“He not only likes to quiz me on a wide range of trivia topics, but he also likes to share adventures he wants to go on someday as well,” Karen said. 

Matthew dreams big and shared the places he wants to travel to most during Karen’s most recent visit. His list includes England, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, China, Japan, Louisiana, Disney World in Florida, Disneyland in California, and New York City to visit the Statue of Liberty and the United Nations.

Although Matthew would clarify that his list is “more than a little, but less than a lot,” he and Karen agreed that it’s good to have big goals, especially when you have the support to achieve them.